The CLEEN Foundation has expressed concern over the suspension of the Community Peacekeeping Commission in Kaduna State, warning that the development has weakened local security coordination and increased vulnerability in affected communities.
The Programme Director of the foundation, Dr Saluadeen Hashim, made the observation on Wednesday during a two-day citizensā engagement on community resilience and adaptation to security threats in Kaduna.
Hashim said the absence of a functional peace coordination structure had created gaps in conflict prevention and response efforts at the grassroots.
According to him, many communities across the state continue to experience attacks, kidnappings, killings and displacement, while residents struggle to cope with persistent violence and instability.
He noted that the suspended commission previously played a key role in promoting dialogue, mediation and early response to tensions before they escalated into violence.
Hashim called on the Kaduna State Government to either reactivate the commission or establish another effective structure to coordinate peacebuilding initiatives, strengthen early warning systems and improve collaboration among communities, security agencies and government institutions.
He stressed the need to rebuild public trust and improve information sharing between citizens and security agencies to effectively address insecurity in the state.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, Mr Peter Maduoma, said the engagement was organized to encourage citizens to actively contribute to community safety instead of relying solely on security agencies.
Maduoma explained that the programme followed an earlier engagement held in March 2026, during which participants identified major security challenges and developed a citizensā charter of demands submitted to the Nigeria Police Force.
He added that the current engagement focused on identifying local resilience assets and strengthening informal community safety networks to support formal security structures.
In her remarks, the Executive Director of Winbeckās Global Initiative, Mrs Rebecca James Bilai, said the initiative had helped improve trust and communication between the police and members of the public.
Bilai acknowledged concerns over alleged misconduct, delayed response to distress calls and weak feedback channels, but noted that there were encouraging signs of improved cooperation and engagement between security agencies and communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants at the meeting validated community findings and proposed recommendations aimed at improving security coordination and response mechanisms across Kaduna State.(NAN)
