By Abdulrazak BelloA cross-section of security agencies, government officials, and civil society organizations have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening community efforts in addressing insecurity across Zamfara State.
The resolution was reached during a one-day stakeholder workshop organized by the United States Government Exchange Alumni Association of Nigeria (USGEAAN), Zamfara State Chapter, led by the project coordinator, Zakariya Haruna Liman, at Taula Arena in Gusau.
Themed “Strengthening Community Efforts to Combat Insecurity in Zamfara,” the workshop brought together representatives from the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Army, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Peace Corps of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Scout Federation, alongside officials from the state ministries of Internal Security and Information, as well as civil society groups including IQRAA Foundation and FAZAMSS.
The deliberations focused on fostering dialogue between communities and security agencies, improving information sharing, and developing preventive strategies to curb banditry, corruption, and misinformation.
Speaking during the session, DSS representative Emmanuel Kaiwa stressed the need for mindset change and enhanced collaboration between security operatives and local communities, warning that fake news and misinformation on social media often escalate tension and hinder security operations.
Also contributing, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Intelligence Unit) Ahmad Bello called for stronger inter-agency collaboration, improved intelligence gathering, and youth engagement programs to prevent radicalization and strengthen community vigilance.
Similarly, Major Ahmad of the Nigerian Army and Umar Bello Bunza of the NSCDC emphasized on the importance of early youth engagement through the “Catch Them Young” initiative, emphasizing that security should be seen as a collective responsibility.
The workshop also featured working group sessions that identified effective measures in security operations, safe communication channels for intelligence sharing, and long-term preventive strategies.
Among the key recommendations were the need to improve the welfare of security personnel, enhance trust between communities and agencies, promote whistleblower protection, and strengthen fact-checking mechanisms to combat misinformation.
The Peace in Action initiative, under which the workshop was held, has so far trained over 300 youths as peace ambassadors across Zamfara State through town hall meetings and school-based peace clubs.
The program has also recorded success stories, including students establishing online peace networks to counter fake news and promote peaceful coexistence.
Participants agreed to hold quarterly review meetings, set up an implementation committee, and mobilize resources to sustain the peacebuilding momentum initiated by the project.
According to the YALI Coordinator, Muhammad Yakubu, noted that the lessons from the workshop would feed into the planning of the forthcoming First Zamfara Peace Summit, aimed at consolidating efforts among youth, civil society, traditional rulers, and government actors toward lasting peace in the state.
