The Institute of Conflict Management and Negotiation Analysts, has organised the Gombe State Councilors’ Leadership and Security Symposium 2026, aimed at strengthening grassroots capacity for conflict prevention and resolution across the state.
The symposium, with the theme, “Non-Kinetic Security Management: Strengthening Councilors for Community Conflict Prevention and Resolution,” is bringing together 114 ward councilors, Divisional Security Officers, DSOs and 16 Secretaries to the Emirate Councils.
The programme is designed to deepen community policing initiatives and improve collaboration between local leaders and security agencies.
Speaking at the event, the Gombe State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Abdulkadir Mohammed Waziri, said the programme was designed to enhance the capacity of councillors and traditional institutions to manage conflicts effectively.
“Ward councillors and traditional leaders are the first responders to insecurity at the grassroots. If they are equipped with the right skills, conflicts can be contained early and prevented from spreading,” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Gombe State, Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said the symposium was timely, given emerging security challenges in parts of the state, including Akko and Billiri Local Government Areas.
According to him, the programme has been approved by the Gombe State Government through the Ministry of Local Government in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, to enable stakeholders to re-strategise and strengthen grassroots security structures.
“We are here to discuss security issues from the grassroots to the local government and state levels, with a view to de-escalating or preventing conflicts. This platform will enhance intelligence gathering and sharing between the police and the community, especially as new security threats such as kidnapping and violent crimes are emerging,” DSP Abdullahi said.
He expressed confidence that the training would improve the flow of information from communities, allowing security agencies to respond promptly to evolving situations.
The Deputy National Coordinator of the Institute of Conflict Management and Negotiation Analysts, Dr. Segun Silas, explained that the organisation was conducting peace-building advocacy across crisis-prone zones in the North-East, North-West and North-Central regions.
Dr. Silas noted that Gombe was strategically located near border areas, which makes it vulnerable to infiltration by criminal elements who exploit subtle movement patterns.
“We have carried out similar engagements in Jigawa and Plateau states, and we are now in Gombe to help address these silent but coordinated security threats,” he said.
Also speaking, the Police Public Relations Officer for Kano State, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said the symposium aligned with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, on inclusive and community-based policing.
He highlighted the success of non-kinetic approaches in Kano State, citing the Safe Corridor Engagement, through which about 1,750 former thugs, popularly known as Yan Daba, renounced violence and were reintegrated into society.
“These strategies have contributed significantly to improved peace and security in Kano,” CSP Kiyawa said.
He added that he would be delivering a lecture on youth involvement in crime, drug abuse and related security challenges.
One of the participants, the Councillor representing Filiya Ward in Shongom Local Government Area, Mr Sunday Garba, described the symposium as highly relevant, noting that councillors are often the first to confront community disputes.
“The training has enlightened us on the need to work closely with security agencies and community leaders whenever disputes arise, so that issues can be resolved collectively and peacefully,” he said.
The organisers expressed optimism that the symposium would contribute to improved community safety and sustainable peace across Gombe State through non-kinetic, collaborative security approaches.ebee.