In an effort to address human rights violations and build a more peaceful future in the state, the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Social, and Community Development in Yobe state, in partnership with UNICEF, organized a one-day capacity-building training for stakeholders.
Blueprint report that the training, which took place on Tuesday in Damaturu, aims to strengthen service providers by equipping them with skills to develop homegrown activities and measures that facilitate peace and reconciliation at the community level.
The Child Protection Technical Officer for the Yobe Ministry of Youth, Sports, Social, and Community Development, Bukar Mai Modu, stated that the approach would be community-based, allowing communities to decide which methods to adopt to ensure peace.
He further revealed that participants in the training included representatives from various ministries, such as Women’s Affairs, Justice, Education, Religious Affairs, Local Government, Humanitarian Affairs, and Youth, as well as community and religious leaders from Gujba, Damaturu, and Geidam, alongside representatives from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Bukar emphasized, “We are engaging communities, building the capacities of community-based organizations, and empowering communities themselves. The goal is to ensure that, even without UNICEF’s support, communities can handle these cases independently.”
Reverend Ibrahim Kure Abako, Secretary of CAN for Yobe state, highlighted that the workshop seeks to address post-conflict issues and ensure justice for both victims and perpetrators.
“My role as a religious leader is to safeguard victims and ensure they receive their entitlements, as victims come from all religions and backgrounds,” said Reverend Abako.
The District Head of Buni Yadi, Abba Hassan Mai Muktar, noted that traditional rulers provide counsel to workshop organizers and government agencies involved in transitional justice, aiming to bring fairness and redress to the process.
Samuel Orahii, National Consultant on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation with UNICEF and a facilitator at the training, explained that women and children are disproportionately affected by conflict.
He added that community-based transitional justice and reconciliation aim to address the needs of conflict-affected communities, as individuals exiting armed groups and returning to their communities face a high risk of stigma and rejection.
“Transitional justice programs ensure communities own the process, leveraging their long-standing traditions of resolving issues even before formal court systems existed,” he said.