2027: CLEEN Foundation engages Zamfara stakeholders on violence- free elections

2027: CLEEN Foundation engages Zamfara stakeholders on violence- free elections

By Sadiq Martins, Gusau

An NGO, CLEEN Foundation, has conducted a two-day citizens’ engagement on election security to strengthen community participation for violence-free 2027 general elections in Zamfara.

The ‌‌‌‍‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‍⁠‍⁠‌Executive Director of the Foundation, Mr. Peter Maduoma, stated this at the event in Gusau, Zamfara, on Wednesday.

The stakeholders’ engagement, with the theme, “Election Security: Building Safer Communities Before and After Elections,” was organised in collaboration with relevant communities and institutions to promote safer elections in the state.

Mr. Maduoma, represented by the Foundation’s Senior Programme Officer, Mr. Bernard Ekobay, said the engagement was an important platform for the electorate to deliberate on election security and the safety of communities before and after polls.

He said for many years, the conventional approach to election security had focused on Election Day deployments, including the deployment of security personnel to polling units and the protection of sensitive electoral materials.

Maduoma, however, said empirical evidence and recent security developments had demonstrated that election security “is not a single-day exercise.”

He explained that election security remains a continuous and deliberate process that directly affected public safety, regional economies and community well-being.

According to him, when security breaks down before an election through localised violence, hate speech, disinformation or voter disenfranchisement, the consequences could extend beyond the electoral process.

Maduoma cited how such situations could lead to the abandonment of farms, disruption of local businesses and erosion of community trust in public institutions.

He said effective election security, supported by strong coordination, intelligence-led strategies and genuine community partnerships, could strengthen trust and security beyond the electoral period.

The executive director emphasised the need to bridge the gap between grassroots community intelligence and formal security structures.

He said the programme would focus on several key outcomes, beginning with Community Election Security Threat Mapping, where local stakeholders, including women, youths and traditional leaders, would identify early warning indicators, localised risks and pre-election security threats.

Maduoma said communities would also develop a Citizens’ Charter of Demand, translating identified security concerns into clear expectations for security agencies, electoral bodies and political actors.

He said that the second day would feature a Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue and Institutional Access, providing an opportunity for community representatives to engage directly with key institutions, including the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political leaders.

The executive director said the outcomes of the engagement would be presented to decision-makers as identified concerns.

“The event will culminate in the signing of a Peace Accord, through which political parties and candidates will make public commitments to uphold peace, reject non-state violence and promote community safety before, during and after the electoral cycle,” he said.

Maduoma said communities should not be viewed merely as passive recipients of security services or as complainants when systems fail.

He said local communities, traditional institutions, vigilante networks and civil society organisations represent an important layer of early warning, de-escalation and intelligence.

According to him, when communities identify their own security risks and work closely with formal law enforcement agencies, security responses will be more targeted, responsive and accountable.

The executive director lauded the Open Society Foundations (OSF) for its continued partnership and funding support for the initiative.

He urged participants to engage actively and constructively throughout the two-day programme and share their experiences and concerns to help strengthen election security in their communities.

The participants were drawn from various communities across the 14 local government areas of the state, as well as representatives of relevant organisations. END