Lead Influencer
Stevico Agro Entrepreneur Nigeria Plc (SAENPLC) is a subsidiary of Stevico Group of Venezuela and licensed by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the United Kingdom. It is a medium scale Agricultural and food processing industry dedicated to food crops production, processing, storage and mechanized farming. SAENPLC believes there is need to support total surrendering and economic rehabilitation of the surrendered Boko Haram insurgents. Therefore, SAENPLC deem it necessary to take lead role to influence facilitation of the international conference which is designed to support total rehabilitation of all Boko Haram Insurgents who are ready and willing to give up their ammunition, weapons and surrender according to the proposed plan as from January 2024.
National Implementing Partner
Centre for Peace, Diplomatic and Development Studies (CPDDS), established by University of Maiduguri, as an independent not for profit, non-religious and non-political organization, to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in research and skills in peace, diplomacy and development. CPDDS believe the post-insurgency era in the North East of Nigeria require a paradigm shift in design and implementation of the rehabilitation and reintegration of the surrendered Boko Haram. Therefore, CPDDS deems it necessary to work with Stevico Agro Entrepreneur Nigeria Plc to organise, manage and coordinate implementation of the international Conference and proposed presidential amnesty programme to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
International Conference
Reference to the article titled “Federal Government of Nigeria called upon to conduct research on Boko Haram Insurgency” in an address delivered by His Excellency, Chief Dr. Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, former President of Federal Republic of Nigeria. (UNIMAID Bulletin of January – March Edition 2016 Vol. VI No. 25 III). Noting this statement, Stevico Agro Entrepreneur Nigeria Plc (SAENPLC) has been working on the investigations of Boko Haram insurgency since their arrival in the North East of Nigeria in January 2023 from Venezuela South America.
After a year of intensive investigations, it’s made to understand that Insurgency is not a total war but negotiable and the previous attempts made on small scale by Governments, to reintegrate the surrendered Boko Haram into communities was met with resistance from the affected communities who vowed to kill the returned surrendered Boko Haram. This was as a result of disconnection and non-involvement of the people in the reintegration process. Another discovery is that the post insurgency era in the North East of Nigeria would be a very critical phase and sensitive period, especially that the surrendered Boko Haram are to live side by side with victims.
Therefore, the consciousness of stakeholders needs to be cultivated on how best the surrendered Boko Haram and their victims can live together in the same community in peace. Equally important, majority of the population affected by the Boko Haram Insurgency are living in rural communities and it will be helpful to use agriculture to promote peace and harmony. In that direction, the international conference will unfold the significance of utilizing the proposed presidential amnesty programme for the rehabilitation, social reconstruction and reintegration of the surrendered Boko Haram Insurgents through Agro Entrepreneur Production Scheme. The International Conference will also, introduce stakeholders to the significance of negotiation and healing for peace and will involve traditional and religious institutions in bringing back balance, harmony and social stability in the areas most affected by the Boko Haram Insurgency in the North East of Nigeria.
The International Conference is a two-day event with high profile speakers and personalities invited around the world, stakeholders from the North East Geo-Political zone of Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Area.
The International Conference is a conscious effort by Stevico Agro Entrepreneur Nigeria Plc in partnership with Centre for Peace, Diplomatic and Development Studies (CPDDS) University of Maiduguri, working with Thought Leaders, Security Agencies and Intellectual Stakeholders to facilitate a smooth transition to post-insurgency era in the North East of Nigeria.
Overall goal
Achieve high level political will to support the smooth transition to post Boko Haram Insurgency Era in the North East of Nigeria.
Specific objectives are to:
- Generate acceptance of community stakeholders for reintegration process to accommodate and tolerate surrendered and deradicalised Boko Haram;
- increase awareness among stakeholders on the need for negotiations and healing for peace;
- Create opportunities for extensive use of case studies from countries with similar insurgence experience transition to post insurgence era;
- Introduce Agro Entrepreneur production as mechanism for rehabilitation, social reconstruction and reintegration of surrendered and deradicalized Boko Haram into their communities;
- Recommend amnesty programme and other strategies to Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
The Approach
Pre-conference activities will be implemented prior to the main conference, to articulate and harmonise the conference topics, speakers, participants and to engage conference stakeholders including the media in the dissemination of the right information and objectives of the conference, and to generate key stakeholders buy-in and early ownership of the process.
The main conference will hold for two days and consists of four sessions with ten speakers, three panel discussions and open space for feedbacks or contributions from participants at the end of each session. Selected speakers will make presentations of experience from countries with similar insurgence experience transition to post insurgency era.
Post conference activities will be implemented. It will culminate in the development of a proposal for Presidential Amnesty Programme and Agro Entrepreneur production to support the smooth transition to post Boko Haram insurgency era in the North East of Nigeria.
Expected Outcomes
- Secure high-level commitment and willingness of the sub national Governments in the Northeast region to key into the proposed Presidential Amnesty Programme and use agro entrepreneur production to fast track smooth transition to post Boko Haram insurgency era.
- The experiences of civil military negotiations that ended the Nigerian civil war and ending the Colombia insurgency provides key lessons and guidance for thought leaders and intellectual stakeholders to support negotiation and healing processes, accommodate and tolerate the surrendered Boko Haram insurgents for peace and stability to return to the Northeast region.
- Secure agricultural equipment supports and technical assistance on mechanised farming, access to, information on selected agricultural product, new varieties of food crops for export and agro credit facilities to support implementation of proposed Presidential Amnesty Programme for smooth transition to the post Boko Haram insurgency era in the Northeast region.
- The initial discussions by the Northeast Governors Forum on commitments made for provision of the selected equipment support and technical assistance or new varieties of crop, and setting up of social reorientation mechanism for awareness creation on the proposed Presidential Amnesty Programme, its implementation processes and benefits to the Northeast region realised.
- The event highlights potential areas of bilateral relations on international trade, agricultural co-operations and exchange to support the implementation of the proposed Presidential Amnesty Programme.
The event is a significant intervention for supporting the slogan that says “Insurgency is not war but negotiable”. It prioritised the involvement of community stakeholders, especially the communities affected by the Boko Haram Insurgency. It supports the creation of stable communities, sustain peace and contribute to production of food and cash crops, redirect energies of the surrendered Boko Haram Insurgents away from radicalization and violence. Importantly, it provides opportunity for tracking and monitoring the movement of the surrendered Boko Haram and provides them means of livelihood to support basic needs of their immediate families as well as contribute to the economy of the North East of Nigeria.