NGO Urges Govts, Individuals to Collaborate against Violent Extremism

Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto

A non-governmental  organisation (NGO), The PAVE Network, has urged government at all levels and individuals to collaborate in combating violent extremism.

The organisation said it has made significant strides in preventing and countering violent extremism (PCVE) in the North-west region,

At  a press conference yesterday, the organisation highlighted  key achie-vements such as multi-stakeholder workshops, peer learning exchanges, and community resilience campaigns focusing on peace education and tolerance messaging. 

The organisation further explained that these efforts have enhanced collaboration among government agencies, security forces, and civil society, which led to the drafting of State Action Plans (SAPs) and Local Action Plans (LAPs) to address the complex security challenges in the region.

The Sokoto State Chair of The PAVE Network, Dr Ahmad Surajo Muhammad emphasized, that despite progress, challenges still persist. 

He said the challenges include: the presence of armed groups such as Lakurawa , youth unemployment, and weak intelligence linkages, which fuel vulnerability to extremist narratives.

He further stated that to address these issues, The PAVE Network is calling on residents to stay vigilant and reject extremist ideologies, traditional leaders to amplify messages of peace and tolerance, and government agencies to integrate PCVE priorities into planning and budgeting.

He urged security agencies to deepen engagement with communities and respect human rights in all operations, emphasising that security operations alone cannot end violent extremism. 

“This is a shared governance, development, and community resilience challenge,” he said. 

He said the NGO is committed  to a collaborative, inclusive and evidence-based approach to PCVE, emphasising that peace and resilience are responsibilities of every member of society.

He said the network’s efforts have already recorded notable gains, including the setup of Technical Working Groups for SAPs and LAPs, introduction of PCVE into state budget proposals, and participation of critical stakeholders, including the private sector.