The Institute of Conflict Management and Negotiation Analysts on Wednesday trained 114 ward councillors in Gombe State on non-kinetic approaches to conflict resolution and peacebuilding, as part of efforts to strengthen grassroots security.
With the theme: Strengthening councillors for community conflict prevention and resolution. The training forms part of ongoing efforts to promote community-based approaches to peacebuilding and enhance collaboration between security agencies and local stakeholders in Gombe State.
Speaking during the workshop, the Deputy National Coordinator of the institute, Dr Segun Silas, said the advocacy tour is aimed at promoting peace across crisis-prone regions of the country.
“Basically we are going round the country from state to state on advocacy for peace building and it’s very integral to also look inward especially for crisis prone areas in North-East, North-West and North-Central,” he said.
Silas noted that several states experiencing insecurity share borders with troubled areas, making them vulnerable to infiltration.
“Most of the states that harbour these incidences are very close to borderline, states who are close to border the terrorists and most of the miscreants normally look for easy penetration or path and Gombe is one of those states where such passage can be achieved because when we look at it critically from the recent happenings most of the incidents are coordinated through small movement. The movement are not obvious for you to see,” he added.
He stressed the need to equip councillors with the right skills to manage conflicts before they escalate.
“Councillors are the first respondents to incidents, we have to start with them by equipping them with the right information, right to know how to treat issues of conflict, insecurity that can escalate into major crisis in their communities. The approach is non-kinetic,” Silas reiterated.
Gombe State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Abdulkadir Mohammed, said the workshop was designed to strengthen the capacity of councillors and traditional institutions in handling conflicts.
“The capacities of counsellors and traditional institution to handle conflict and realise peace. Those in the grassroots level are responsible agents of peace are ward councillors and traditional leaders,” he said.
Also speaking, the facilitator and Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Police Command, CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said the initiative aligns with the inclusive policing policy of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
“The IGP knows how important our councillors are in securing our communities, this gave rise to this partnership with this institute and Gombe State Government. The councillors have their roles to play using non-kinetic approach,” he said.
Gombe State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, disclosed that 114 councillors and secretaries of the 16 emirates participated in the training.
“We have 114 councillors, secretaries of 16 emirates. This is designed to carry community policing to the grassroots. We felt this is time to restrategise especially following security situations in Akko, Billiri and others to ensure safer Gombe State,” he said.
A participant, Sunday Garba, the councillor representing Filiya ward, described the workshop as timely and impactful.
“We work in the grassroots and we see and know the problem. We usually serve as first responders to issues. Before now in a bid to resolve issues, we usually take it to our traditional leaders to mitigate issues,” he said.
