Citizens for Peace Mission Conducts Community Resilience Training in Abuja
Amid rising insecurity across Nigeria, the Citizens for Peace and First Aid Mission of Nigeria (CFPFAMN) organized a week-long capacity-building workshop in Abuja to strengthen community resilience and promote citizen participation in national security efforts.
The workshop, titled “National Insecurity and Building Country/Community Resilience: Nexus for National Security,” brought together stakeholders, community leaders, and concerned citizens to discuss grassroots strategies for tackling the country’s security challenges.
In his opening remarks, Colonel Gwe I. Amara (Rtd), Commander General of CPFA-MN, highlighted Nigeria’s critical situation, facing threats such as insurgency in the North-East, banditry, kidnapping, and communal conflicts nationwide.
He quoted the former Nigerian President, emphasizing unity and shared responsibility:
“This generation of Nigerians… has no other country but Nigeria. Let us come together to salvage it.”
Amara stressed that insecurity has led to loss of lives and property, decreased investor confidence, and tarnished Nigeria’s international reputation.
“The challenge before us is clear,” he said. “Do we succumb to these difficulties, or do we rise together to confront them?”
He explained that the workshop aims to equip participants with skills in conflict management, emergency response, and community security, empowering ordinary Nigerians to actively protect their communities.
Core Brigadier General Ita Nyong, Chair of the 2026 CFPFAMN Workshop Planning Committee, praised Commander General Amara’s leadership and noted the organization’s significant progress over the past two years, including:
– Grassroots peacebuilding and conflict resolution initiatives
– First aid and emergency response training
– Community-based security awareness campaigns
– Promotion of active citizenship in national development
He emphasized that resilience is essential to Nigeria’s national security, stating, “Resilience is built when citizens are informed, trained, and empowered.”
Additionally, the organization’s Director of Information, Core Brigadier General Ambassador Sulaiman Abdulrasheed, highlighted the vital role of traditional, religious, and community leaders in maintaining local security. He called for the revival of traditional structures where community leaders—such as ward heads, imams, and pastors—would monitor their communities and report suspicious activities.
Abdulrasheed underscored that restoring respect for these institutions and fostering collaboration between communities and CFPA-MN can significantly improve security.
Participants were encouraged to take ownership of security issues and actively contribute to Nigeria’s stability. The event concluded with appeals for unity, cooperation, and ongoing citizen involvement in building a safer Nigeria.
Given the ongoing insecurity, initiatives like this workshop emphasize the importance of shared responsibility in ensuring national security—an effort that involves all citizens, not just the government.
