The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has concluded a week-long social cohesion engagement across five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Bayelsa State, strengthening grassroots conflict resolution, rebuilding trust with security actors, and deepening collaboration for violence prevention.
Held from August 4–8, 2025, the activity was part of the European Union–funded project “A Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta,” implemented with consortium partners Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN).
Building Bridges Between Communities and Security Agencies
This year’s engagement builds on the first phase in 2024, which covered all eight LGAs and led to stronger community–security partnerships in tackling local insecurity.
Speaking on behalf of Sam Ogbemi Daibo, PIND’s Executive Director, Etukudoh Faith, Team Lead for PIND’s EU/SFCG Project, stressed the importance of dialogue. He stated, “By creating consistent spaces for dialogue, we are building trust and empowering communities to partner more effectively with security agencies in addressing insecurity.”This year’s engagement deepened those gains by providing structured spaces for dialogue between often disconnected groups.
A unique feature of the 2025 edition was the participation of key security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), signaling a growing institutional commitment to community-based peacebuilding.
Strengthening Trust Through Dialogue
Over 300 participants—including youth, women, community leaders, and security personnel—participated in trust-building exercises and interactive sessions. Discussions tackled recurring conflict drivers such as resource competition and ethnic hostilities, while also exploring joint strategies for prevention.
One major outcome was a shift in perception: youth, often seen only as victims or perpetrators of violence, engaged directly with security agencies, helping reshape how officials view their role and reinforcing commitments to work hand-in-hand with young people for peace.
Joint Community Security Charters
One of the landmark achievements was the development of Joint Community Security Charters, tailored to the unique realities of each participating LGA and formally signed by community representatives and security actors. These charters:
- Symbolize a shared commitment to peace and accountability
- Mandate follow-up sensitization activities by security agencies
- Will be anchored in the Local Government Peace Committees, earlier established by PIND
“This second phase will strengthen collaboration even further,” said Gilbert Oluku, a community leader from Sampou in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA.
Outcomes and Strategic Significance
The Bayelsa engagement reinforced inclusive participation and advanced PIND’s broader peacebuilding strategy by:
- Strengthening early warning and early response mechanisms
- Formalizing collaboration between communities and security agencies
- Empowering youth, women, and traditional leaders as key peace actors
- Equipping communities with tools for participatory conflict analysis and joint action planning
Looking Ahead: Sustaining Local Ownership
PIND is creating durable, community-owned peace infrastructures that reduce insecurity and promote development by embedding dialogue processes and charters within existing community structures.
This initiative, part of the EU-funded consortium project, underscores PIND’s commitment to bridging divides, amplifying local voices, and scaling inclusive peacebuilding systems across the Niger Delta.
“This is not just an event, but a process,” reflected one security participant. “Through these platforms, we are building trust, accountability, and a future where communities and security agencies work as partners for peace.”
