The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has intensified efforts to support peacebuilding and conflict prevention in Katsina State with the donation of communication gadgets to Community Peace and Resilience Committees across eight frontline Local Government Areas.
The initiative, unveiled during a distribution ceremony held on Wednesday in Danmusa, is designed to strengthen community-based early warning and early response mechanisms, enabling local peace actors to promptly detect, report and address security threats before they escalate into violence.
The intervention forms part of the Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) Programme, funded by the European Union Foreign Policy Instrument and implemented by IOM in collaboration with Mercy Corps and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
Speaking during the event, the Project Assistant, Mr. Seth Elisha, described the donation as a strategic step towards enhancing grassroots peacebuilding structures and improving the operational efficiency of community peace committees.
According to him, the communication devices, which include mobile phones and power banks, were distributed to beneficiaries drawn from Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, Kankara, Sabuwa, Safana, Dandume and Faskari Local Government Areas.
Elisha explained that the gadgets would significantly improve the capacity of committee members to monitor, document and report Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) incidents, particularly farmer-herder clashes and other emerging security challenges that continue to threaten peace and livelihoods in affected communities.
He noted that effective communication remains one of the most critical tools in preventing conflicts and ensuring swift interventions whenever tensions arise.
“The gadgets will improve information sharing, facilitate timely reporting of incidents and support effective responses to emerging security concerns within the communities,” he said.
Elisha further explained that the broader objective of the CPCRR Programme, currently being implemented in Katsina and Zamfara states, is to promote lasting peace, social cohesion and socio-economic stability through a combination of preventive and resilience-building interventions.
He said the programme seeks to tackle the underlying causes of conflict by strengthening governance structures, fostering dialogue among communities, encouraging social inclusion and enhancing the resilience of vulnerable populations.
According to him, the initiative aligns with broader efforts to build sustainable peace and create safer environments where communities can thrive without fear of violence or instability.
Beneficiaries welcomed the intervention, describing it as a timely and impactful contribution to grassroots security and peacebuilding efforts.
Mrs. Rahila Lawal, the women representative of the Danmusa Community Peace and Resilience Committee, said the devices would greatly improve coordination among committee members and facilitate quicker reporting of security-related incidents.
She noted that the enhanced communication capacity would enable the committee to respond more effectively to emerging threats while strengthening collaboration among stakeholders working to maintain peace in the area.
Similarly, Mr. Isah Usman, the community secretary, expressed gratitude to IOM and its partners for the support, saying the donation would reinforce ongoing efforts to promote peaceful coexistence and safeguard lives and property.
Also speaking, the Secretary of the Ayara Community Peace and Resilience Committee, Mr. Zahradeen Saleh, said the gadgets would improve the committee’s ability to swiftly identify and respond to potential conflicts before they escalate.
The beneficiaries collectively pledged to utilise the devices responsibly and effectively, assuring that the equipment would be deployed to advance peacebuilding initiatives, strengthen community resilience and foster harmony across their respective localities.
The donation underscores growing efforts by international development partners and local stakeholders to empower communities with the tools needed to prevent violence, enhance security coordination and build sustainable peace in conflict-prone areas of Katsina State.
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