The Civil Society Legislation Advocacy Centre, with support from Open Society Foundation, on Thursday organised a one-day meeting tagged
North-East: Building community resilience against threats through effective early warning and early response system in Gombe State.
Periscope Nigeria reports that participants urged communities, CSOs, media, and security agencies to work together to prevent conflicts.
Speaking, Jimoh Abubakar, CISLAC Programme Manager, emphasised community sensitivity to conflict signals, adding “We need to build consciousness and create sensitivity to conflict at the community level. Security is everyone’s business.”
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Abubakar highlighted the need for communities to report signals, not just incidents, to prevent conflicts. “Conflict sensitivity is everyone’s business. We must build consciousness and create sensitivity to conflict at the community level. Religious leaders should promote peace, not violence.”
Also, Yahaya Mohammed, Assistant Secretary, Association of Non-Governmental Organisations, Gombe State, stressed identifying early warning signs of insecurity. “We must sensitise people to recognize these signs and take action to mitigate potential conflicts. Early warning signs are crucial to preventing insecurity.”
Other speakers which include the
Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Usman Hayatu represented by ACP Tuur Chafa, encouraged frequent events and community involvement in security. Parents should question their children’s whereabouts, especially during odd hours.
Similarly, Commandant Gyama Gyawiya, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, emphasised vigilance. “Security is everybody’s business. We should not neglect early warning signs,” he added.
Shehu Dauda, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Assistant Intelligence, highlighted drug-related challenges, saying “When an individual takes drugs, it gives them boldness to do harm. The society must report suspicious activities.”
Rufai Lawan, acting Gombe State Coordinator, North-East Development Commission, advocated grassroot collaboration. “We can tackle security challenges properly by working together.”
