Boko Haram: UNDP Trains 2,000 Civilian JTF, Vigilantes on Capacity Building

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with three North-eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have begun the training of 2,000 members of the Civilian JTF and other vigilante groups who are involved in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

Speaking at the passing-out parade of the first batch of the trainees numbering over 700 Tuesday in Jos after three weeks of intensive drilling in various areas of capacity building, UNDP Country Director Samuel Bwalya said that as Nigeria continues to wage war against Boko Haram insurgency, it will stop at nothing in supporting the country in terms of intervention projects.

According to Bwalya, the intervention includes reconstruction and rehabilitation of destroyed public infrastructure; restoration of livelihoods for conflict affected persons; support for local governance including access to justice and rule of law, as well as in the area of community security and social cohesion.

He added that the capacity building programme designed for about 2,000 Civilian JTF members from the North-east zone was aimed at strengthening their capacity to render quality protection services to their communities, improved protection of human rights, increased prevention of gender-based violence and promotion of community cohesion and peaceful coexistence.

Represented by the Programme Coordinator, Mr. Mathew Alao, the country director added that the special training programme equally afforded the beneficiaries the opportunity to acquire skills in technical and vocational trades of their choice that will enable them to live an economically and socially viable life long after the insurgency might have ended, pointing out that the capacity building training, was part of the German-funded Integrated Regional Stabilisation Project (GIRSP) of the Lake Chad Basin in four countries including Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

Details later…