By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto

SOKOTO:- Nigeria’s growing reliance on community based security structures to combat banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and rural attacks has come under fresh scrutiny as security experts, researchers and policy stakeholders called for the establishment of a stronger national accountability framework to regulate and strengthen grassroots security initiatives across the country.

The call formed the centrepiece of a major research presentation organized by Kukah Centre in collaboration with center for Peace Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto under the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) Programme supported by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and implemented by Tetra Tech International Development.

The research findings, unveiled during a high level stakeholders’ workshop at Dankane Guest Palace in Sokoto, examined the operations of Community Based Security Initiatives (CBSI) and the responsibilities of government institutions, security agencies, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, the media and political actors in improving grassroots security management nationwide.

Speaking at the workshop, Director of the Centre for Peace Studies, Professor Uthman A Abdulkadir warned that Nigeria’s worsening security challenges would remain difficult to address without stronger collaboration between formal security institutions and local communities.

According to him, sustainable peace can only be achieved when citizens are actively involved in intelligence gathering, early warning systems, conflict mediation and community-driven peace building efforts capable of preventing violence before it escalates.

The researchers identified weak coordination among stakeholders, poor accountability mechanisms, abuse of power, political interference, inadequate legal frameworks and widespread public mistrust of security agencies as major factors undermining the effectiveness of community security outfits operating in several states.

The report noted that states including Kaduna, Katsina, Benue, Plateau and Sokoto have established varying forms of state backed community security structures in response to escalating insecurity, particularly across the North West and North Central regions.

However, the study warned that many of the outfits currently operate without clear operational guidelines, standard procedures or adequate oversight mechanisms, thereby exposing communities to risks of human rights violations and institutional abuse.

To address the gaps, the researchers recommended stronger policy direction and institutional support from federal, state and local governments, including the development of enforceable legal frameworks, adequate funding, operational training and inter-agency coordination mechanisms capable of aligning local security operations with democratic principles and human rights standards.

The study further challenged security agencies to rebuild public confidence through professionalism, timely response to threats and sustained engagement with local communities, stressing that trust between citizens and security institutions remains critical to effective intelligence sharing and crime prevention.

Traditional rulers and community leaders were also identified as indispensable actors in promoting peaceful coexistence, mediating communal disputes and mobilizing local support against criminal networks operating in vulnerable rural communities.

The report equally urged the media to embrace conflict sensitive journalism that promotes peace building, counters misinformation and supports responsible public discourse on national security matters rather than inflaming tensions through sensational reporting.

Community-Based Organisations and civil society groups were encouraged to intensify advocacy campaigns, support victims of violence and strengthen independent monitoring systems aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in the implementation of community security programmes.

The researchers also cautioned political actors against politicizing security challenges or exploiting local security structures for partisan interests, warning that such practices could deepen divisions, undermine public trust and weaken ongoing peace building efforts across the country.

As part of the SPRiNG Programme, the project seeks to strengthen the legal and institutional foundations of state-backed security initiatives through stakeholder engagement, policy reforms, operational training and the development of standard operating procedures for local security outfits

Project coordinators disclosed that security personnel in Kaduna, Benue, Plateau and Katsina states have already undergone training on standard operating procedures, while Sokoto adopted a research based engagement strategy following concerns over the polarisation of community security structures within the state.

The Kukah Centre maintained that the intervention is designed to complement, rather than criticise, government efforts in addressing insecurity, insisting that strengthening local security capacity and accountability systems remains essential to achieving lasting peace, stability and national resilience in Nigeria.