Writing By Daniel Karlmax, Editing By Godwin Duru
In an effort to address the rising cases of violent extremism across communities in Kaduna, the peace building network under the aegis of Partnership Against Violent Extremism, PAVE, has reaffirmed its commitment to combating radicalization through inclusive, collaborative, and community-centered strategies.
The State Coordinator of the network, Mr. Eric John, made this known during an advocacy visit to the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Non-Governmental Organizations, and Development Partners, Mr. Henry Marah, at the Kaduna State House of Assembly Complex.
According to Mr. John, PAVE is a coalition of Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, individuals, and professionals working to counter violent extremism at the state and local government levels using the non kinetic approach.
He explained that the advocacy visit aimed to solicit support and partnership from the State Assembly, particularly in the area of legislation to domesticate the national PAVE policy into state and local government action plans for effective service delivery.
“We thank the Honourable Member for accepting this network, some of the policies, and his open arms for partnership,
“He has provided insight into how to process the entire procedure we want to see implemented in the state, along with the support he has offered to render in his capacity,” Mr. John said.
He added that the lawmaker had promised to work towards seeing the policy come to life in the state in order to maintain peace and enhance security.
In his response, Mr. Henry Marah who represents Jaba Constituency, commended the PAVE network for adopting a unique, community-driven approach to addressing security challenges.
“Various NGOs and development partners often come with the same approach. But PAVE has demonstrated a different strategy—community-oriented and people-centered,” he said.
The lawmaker expressed his readiness to support initiatives focused on peacebuilding, which he described as a legislative priority critical to promoting socioe-conomic growth and development in the state.
He revealed that the House has plans to visit registered organizations to verify their locations and assess their impact on citizens, noting that only credible NGOs will be embraced.
“Some NGOs claim to solve problems but end up exacerbating them. We want to identify those making a real difference,” Marah emphasized.
He advised PAVE to register with the State Ministry for Humanitarian Services and work closely with the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, in addition to engaging with the House Committees on Security and Local Government Affairs for full state recognition and support.
“Once security is involved, the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs becomes key. You’ll need their clearance, especially when organizing activities at the local government level. It’s essential to align your programs with them,” he added.
He encouraged PAVE to propose workshops or training programs through the appropriate House Committees, noting that government support is possible but should be complemented with self-driven initiatives.
Also speaking, Mrs. Chat Adamu, a member of the PAVE network, highlighted previous projects carried out by the organization aimed at countering radicalization and violent extremism.
According to her, PAVE recently concluded a System and Structure Strengthening Approach across twelve communities in the three senatorial districts of Kaduna.
These included Chikun and Igabi in Kaduna Central, Zaria and Kudan in the North, and Kachia and Jema’a in the South.
Mrs. Adamu explained that the initiative focused on empowering women and youth by building their capacity to resist radical influences.
She said safe spaces were created for women to engage in dialogue with trained facilitators, while livelihood support was provided to both women and youth.
Training programs according to her included, cattle rearing and tailoring, with the aim of reducing unemployment, idleness, and the risk of recruitment into violent groups.
“We recognized the need to occupy young people meaningfully. Idle youth can easily become tools for violence. That’s why we introduced skill acquisition programs and safe dialogue spaces,” she said.
PAVE says it remains committed to sustaining its efforts in partnership with government institutions, traditional leaders, and community stakeholders to secure lasting peace in Kaduna State.
Daniel Karlmax
