By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto

SOKOTO – The KUKAH Centre has launched a strategic initiative to strengthen grassroots security in Sokoto State by training 200 members of the state’s Community Guards.

The program aims to enhance the skills and effectiveness of the guards, enabling better collaboration with conventional security agencies.

Speaking at the program’s launch, the Director of the KUKAH Centre, Reverend Father Atta Barkindo, PhD, reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to fostering positive change in Nigeria since its establishment in 2008. He highlighted the Centre’s focus on good governance, interfaith dialogue, knowledge sharing, and the documentation of national experiences to guide future generations.

Rev. Barkindo identified poverty, unemployment, lack of justice, and widespread desperation as the root causes of insecurity in the Northwest and other northern regions. He noted that over 2.2 million Nigerians have been displaced by insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes, and insurgency. Alarmingly, he disclosed that 632,000 people were killed across Nigeria in a single year.

He expressed concern over diminishing public confidence in conventional security institutions, observing that many communities now rely more on vigilante groups and informal security structures. “As a country, where is Nigeria going?” he asked, underscoring the urgency of restoring public trust in the nation’s security architecture.

As part of the initiative, the Centre will review the legal framework establishing the Sokoto State Community Guards to identify gaps and improve their operational effectiveness through targeted training and clearer mandates.

Also speaking, the project manager, Mr. Tarseer Bamber, emphasized the Centre’s commitment to raising public awareness about peacebuilding and social cohesion. He said the initiative would empower local security systems while fostering unity and mutual support among citizens.

The training represents a major step toward bridging the gap between formal and informal security efforts and building a safer, more cohesive Nigeria.