By Hadiza Ismail
In a recent meeting which took place in Kaduna state at the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, different groups of people from government ministries, civil society, academia, traditional and religious institutions were inaugurated as members of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE).
The event which was held on the 8th of October was supported by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), North East Youth Initiative for Development (NEYIF), Partnership Against Violent Extremism Network (PAVE) and the PCVE- Knowledge Innovation and Research Hub : An initiative of PAVE network in collaboration with National Counter Terrorism Centre – ONSA.
For the members in the room, it wasn’t just another government event. It was a moment of hope, especially for communities that have, for years, lived with fear, displacement, and the lingering scars of communal violence. The TWG’s mandate is clear: to localize Nigeria’s National PCVE framework by developing a State Action Plan (SAP) and a set of Local Action Plans (LAPs) suited to Kaduna’s realities ; its people, its security dynamics, and its culture.
From Reaction to Prevention
For decades, Nigeria’s security response has leaned heavily on kinetic, often military measures but Kaduna State, under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani, is taking a different path: a non-kinetic approach that sees peace not as a byproduct of force, but as something communities actively build through dialogue, inclusion, and social stability. This approach has involved reviving peace through community engagement, strengthening traditional institutions, and reintegrating repentant bandits, especially in areas like Birnin Gwari. It has also meant reopening long-abandoned markets, restoring livelihoods, and rebuilding trust between citizens and security actors.
Through partnerships with organizations such as ActionAid Nigeria under the SARVE III project, thousands of women and youth have benefited from training, safe spaces, and economic empowerment. These non-military strategies, centered on persuasion, dialogue, and socio-economic renewal are the foundation upon which the TWG was built.
Why the TWG Matters
The inauguration of the TWG marks a decisive step from reactive responses to proactive governance. It brings structure, accountability, and coordination to Kaduna’s peacebuilding efforts.
The TWG’s core strengths include:
- Strategic Coordination: Bringing all relevant actors under a unified framework to co-design, implement, and monitor PCVE strategies—reducing duplication and improving impact.
- Contextual Relevance: Developing locally tailored State and Local Action Plans that address Kaduna’s specific vulnerabilities such as youth radicalization, banditry, and inter-communal tensions.
- Inclusion and Ownership: Providing a platform where youth, traditional rulers, and civil society have a voice in shaping peace efforts—fostering trust and early warning systems.
- Transparency and Data: Promoting evidence-based decision-making, monitoring, and reporting to ensure interventions are measurable and effective.
A Local Answer to a National Challenge
Nigeria adopted its National Policy Framework and Action Plan for PCVE in 2017, emphasizing inclusion, justice, and community engagement. However, implementation has been uneven across states, as many remain without clear structures to localize the national vision. By establishing its TWG, Kaduna is taking those words off paper and putting them into practice and has moved ahead potentially serving as a replicable model for regional peacebuilding.
As the North-West PCVE Summit in August 2025 revealed, the region still faces major gaps; poor coordination, weak data systems, and limited youth involvement. Kaduna’s TWG stands as a direct response to those challenges, offering a model others can follow. The realities behind this effort are deeply human. In communities in Kaura, Kajuru, Birnin Gwari, families have endured unimaginable loss and for them, the TWG represents a task and dedication to inclusion, a seat at the table where real solutions are shaped.
Building on a Foundation of Dialogue
Kaduna’s peace journey did not begin with the TWG. Over the years, the State Peace Model, and partners like GCERF, and ActionAid have championed grassroots peace initiatives like women’s safe spaces, youth empowerment, and early warning networks. Alot still needs to be done and the TWG now serves as a bridge—connecting interventions into one coordinated framework, ensuring synergy, shared goals, and collective accountability. Kaduna State now has a structure capable of turning fragmented initiatives into a unified peace strategy with clear plans, budgets, and results.
What It Means for the People
At its heart, the TWG is about people : the ordinary citizens whose lives are most affected by insecurity. For the young man in Kawo seeking direction, it could mean access to mentorship and skills programs that steer him away from extremist influence. For the widow in Kaura, it means a community where she can sleep without fear. For traditional leaders, it offers a platform to engage constructively before crises erupt, not after. Through the TWG, the government envisions better intelligence-sharing, community-led early warning mechanisms, and transparent progress tracking, so citizens can see and trust what’s being done in their name. By aligning with the Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), Kaduna is signalling that peace is not just a national duty but a local responsibility shared by all. Challenges will remain—funding, inter-agency coordination, and the slow process of rebuilding trust, but the momentum remain strong.
Kaduna’s story is slowly shifting : from crisis management to prevention, and from despair to resilience. By rooting its peace strategy in people, the state is redefining what peacebuilding means in northern Nigeria.
As one elder at the TWG inauguration aptly pointed out,
“If peace will last this time, it must have our fingerprints on it.”
That is precisely Kaduna’s goal: a peace that belongs to its people, sustained by their voices, and anchored in trust.
