FG: Community participation critical to ending insecurity

The Federal Government of Nigeria has emphasized the pivotal role that communities play in combating insecurity across the country. Director General of the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE), Chris Ngwodo, made this assertion during a policy dialogue in Kano. Ngwodo stated that communities possess the most intimate understanding of the issues they face and are thus best positioned to address them.

He stressed that while the federal government is not here to replace community efforts, it will support them by providing resources and working collaboratively to tackle the challenges. The initiative aims to integrate grassroots peacebuilding initiatives with federal support across all levels, including states, local governments, and communities.

Ngwodo explained that this framework will enhance prevention measures, dialogue, mediation, early warning systems, and coordinated responses to emerging risks such as banditry, farmer-herder clashes, communal violence, and pre-election conflicts. Though security forces have been bolstered, Ngwodo highlighted that sustainable peace necessitates investments in resilience, social cohesion, and coordination among various actors, including state and non-state entities.

He encouraged participants to recognize that they are not alone in this endeavor and that allies exist at the federal level to support and champion their cause. Prof. Nanji Umoh, from the University of Jos, characterized the policy as "bottom-up," emphasizing its focus on directly engaging communities in the design and implementation of solutions rather than imposing top-down directives.

Sulaiman Iguda Ladan, a professor and researcher specializing in banditry, cautioned that the threat of banditry is evolving. He observed that while senior bandit leaders have desisted from traditional activities, younger recruits are driven by a lack of viable livelihood options. Ladan explained that the youth now engage in smaller-scale banditry, targeting market days to rob traders, seize motorcycles, and rustle cattle.

He warned that without alternative livelihoods for these individuals, low-scale banditry will continue to persist. The Kano dialogue convened a diverse assembly of stakeholders, including government agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organizations, academics, women, and youth groups.