CIVIC Convenes Geidam Roundtable on Civilian Safety

 

In a significant step towards strengthening civilian protection and community resilience, the Centre for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) organized a two-day high-level advocacy and roundtable meeting in Gaidam Local Government Area of Yobe State.

The roundtable meeting brought 

together community members,security, stakeholders and humanitarian actors to discuss ways to minimize the impact of conflict on innocent lives.

The workshop aimed to identify threats to community protection,address gaps, and equip participants with practical tools for risk management.

The two-day engagement is part of a series of programs initiated by the Centre for civilians across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.

Speaking at the stakeholders' roundtable meeting, the CIVIC Community Liaison Officer (CLO) for Geidam Local Government Area, Aisha Mustapha Kolo, said the program was designed to find lasting solutions and demonstrate ways to protect civilians from harm, be it social or psychological trauma.

"Civilians play a crucial role in supporting the security forces in carrying out their activities.This builds on the coordination and relationships that communities are able to establish with security forces to enhance security.

"We bring community leaders, security actors, and civilians themselves together to discuss the issues they are facing and how they can develop local solutions to coordinate their efforts.

"This roundtable meeting gives an opportunity for youth, traditional leaders, religious leaders,and the security forces to sit together, examine the gaps, build civilian resilience, and promote peace. That is the goal of the entire project," said the CIVIC CLO.

For their part, some of the participants, including the Ward Head of Hausari Community, Mallam Mustapha Mohammad, and the Women Leader in Geidam,Hajiya Zara Bukar, stated that the training gave them a deeper understanding of how to protect themselves and others in the face of security threats.

They explained that the roundtable meeting was not just talk, but a necessary action. "It gives our community a direct voice to the authorities. We are hopeful that the strategies we have agreed upon will lead to tangible improvements in the safety and well-being of our people," the participants added.

The event concluded with a jointly developed set of recommendations and a framework for continued cooperation, signaling a renewed and unified commitment to protecting civilians in Gaidam and the wider region.