Our journey began with a clear mission: to build bridges of collaboration and partnership with community security outfits in North west and North central Nigeria. The Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVS), the Benue State Civil Protection Guard Corps (BSCPGC), and the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps (SSCGC) were the key destinations of this advocacy drive. These engagements were deliberate efforts of the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) team at The Kukah Centre (TKC) in partnership with Tetra Tech, aimed at reinforcing community security structures, enhancing accountability, and ensuring that security service delivery is inclusive and responsive to the realities on the ground. With the objective of reviewing the legal framework establishing these local security outfit and developing a standard operating procedure (SOPs) which will culminate into training 200 personnel of these security outfits in each state above all, the visits recognised that these community security outfits are not only stakeholders but also the major beneficiaries of ongoing interventions by the SPRiNG programme designed to strengthen community security.
Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVS)
Our first stop was Kaduna, the KADVS headquarters where the Commandant and senior officers welcomed the team, reflecting on the importance they attach to external partnerships. Discussions highlighted the existing challenges of vigilance service, ranging from limited operational tools to gaps in community engagement. Our advocacy stressed the need for deeper collaboration between KADVS and other stakeholders to improve intelligence gathering, reinforce trust with communities, and enhance accountability in operations. The dialogue concluded with mutual agreement: KADVS will not only secure communities but also position itself as a transparent, accountable, and inclusive actor in the state’s security landscape.
Sokoto State Community Guard Corps (SSCGC)
The advocacy journey continued to Sokoto State where the team met the Community Guard Corps. Conversations here were anchored on the urgent need to enhance coordination between local guards and state-level security agencies. The SSCGC leadership expressed their readiness to adapt their structures to better serve communities. He also stated that the Corp is limited in power to commence any intervention expect they receive a clear permission from the state governor to proceed. We emphasised the importance of inclusiveness, urging that mechanisms be put in place for communities themselves to evaluate and shape the work of the corps. This would also increase trust of the citizens. The Sokoto engagement ended on a hopeful note: the SSCGC pledged to bring its operations closer to the people.
Benue Civil Protection Guard Corps (BSCPGC)
The SPRiNG program team moved again to Benue State. Here, the Civil Protection Guard Corps (BSCPGC) stands as a critical institution bridging formal and informal security structures. The BSCPGC leadership acknowledged the need for strengthened partnerships with communities and civil society, especially in light of the unique security challenges faced in agrarian communities. Our discussions underscored the principle of inclusivity ensuring that women, youth, and marginalised groups are not only beneficiaries of community safety but active contributors to shaping it. Together, we explored practical mechanisms to improve reporting channels and building the community’s trust. By the end of the session, a shared commitment emerged: BSCPGC would serve as a people-centred institution, responsive to the concerns of the communities it protects
Key Outcomes of the Engagements
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- Strengthened Collaboration
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- Commitment to Accountability
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- Inclusive Service Delivery
Our next steps on this journey will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with these local security outfits and the related government ministries in the three states which is document to formalise the commitments made by local outfits, ministries and agencies towards the implementation of the ‘Improving Community Security Initiatives for Accountable Service Delivery‘ project in the various states with possible expansion to Plateau and Katsina states.
Most recently, there was a harmonised signing of an MoU with all relevant state government ministries which included the local security outfit this was consolidated in a single document and signed by the commissioner ministry of justice on behalf of the Kaduna state government on the 20th of August 2025. This is a milestone achievement in the actualisation of the project objective. Similarly, an MoU was signed with the Foundation for Justice, Development and Peace (FJDP) in Benue State on the 21st of August 2025. The Benue state key government officials are currently reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a strong commitment to signing the MoU on behalf of the state government also with the Sokoto State key government officials as well. These MoUs once signed by the various sate government will provide a structured framework for implementation, thereby ensuring that the Community Security Initiative achieves its intended impact in the States.
