Traditional rulers in Benue State on Tuesday stressed the need for a constitutional role for the across the country, saying it will engender good governance.

The monarchs, drawn from the 23 local government areas of the state, emphasised that the dynamics of conflicts currently plaguing their domains demand that they be given a role in the constitution for positive interference.

They made the call during a two-day Conflict Sensitivity Strategy meeting for first and second class traditional rulers in the state organised by the Middle Belt Brain Trust (MBBT), Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) with funding from the UK FCDO.

Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Chief Orkaa Kaave, the Ter Ukum, identified major conflicts in his domain to include armed invasions and local banditry which, he noted, could be handled at the infancy stage if the traditional rulers are given the constitutional opportunity to intervene.

Similarly, Chief Dominic Akpe, the traditional head of Gwer East LGA, stressed the need for a constitutional role, saying issues of land and armed invasions in his domain would be nipped before they escalate.

Also, the Och’Otukpo, Chief John Eyimonye, said he would apply the knowledge gained at the workshop to resolve crisis bordering on land and armed invasion for peaceful coexistence in his area.

Earlier, Thomas Bimba of IFIT, said the goal of the workshop was to strengthen the traditional rulers’ ability to understand the context they were operating in by knowing the intergroup tensions, divisive issues, the connecting issues with a potential to mitigate conflict and maximise contributions to social cohesion.