Quick Summary:
FG adopts community-driven approach to address insecurity, with Chioma Nweze and Defence Minister Christopher Musa leading new collaborative framework.
The Federal Government has announced plans to adopt a community-driven approach to tackle insecurity in the South-East, emphasizing collaboration between local communities and security agencies.
As part of this initiative, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East), Barrister Chioma Nweze, met with the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), to discuss pressing security challenges confronting the region.
The meeting brought together members of the Presidential Community Engagement Team and senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, focusing on non-kinetic and community-based strategies to strengthen peace and stability.
Key Focus Areas
Discussions centered on:
- Enhancing intelligence gathering through structured community engagement.
- Improving communication of government security interventions to local communities.
- Relaying grassroots feedback to the Ministry of Defence.
- Deepening trust between citizens and security agencies.
The meeting also resolved to establish a joint working team to coordinate regional security summits across the South-East, involving local, state, and federal stakeholders.
These summits will serve as platforms for citizens to present security concerns and contribute to practical solutions.
Strengthening Coordination and Youth Engagement
A direct communication channel was created between the Ministry of Defence and the Presidential Community Engagement Team to ensure sustained coordination, timely information sharing, and effective follow-up on agreed actions.
Both sides agreed to prioritize youth-focused programmes aimed at discouraging involvement in insecurity-related activities and addressing socio-economic factors driving unrest in the region.
Renewed Commitment to Inclusive Security
Speaking after the meeting, Barrister Chioma Nweze said the partnership represents a renewed commitment by the Federal Government to inclusive security management and community-led peacebuilding in the South-East and across Nigeria.
She emphasized that lasting peace can only be achieved through collaboration, trust, and active citizen participation in security governance.