As Nigeria prepares for another electoral cycle, the CLEEN Foundation has begun a two-day citizens’ engagement in Zamfara State, bringing communities, security agencies, electoral stakeholders and political actors together to address security threats that could affect voters before, during and after elections.
The engagement, holding in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, is themed “Election Security: Building Safer Communities Before and After Elections.” It is aimed at strengthening grassroots participation and improving collaboration between communities and institutions responsible for election security.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Executive Director of the CLEEN Foundation, Mr Peter Maduoma, represented by the Foundation’s Senior Programme Officer, Mr Bernard Ekobay, said the initiative was designed to create a platform where stakeholders could openly identify security concerns and work together towards safer elections.
Maduoma noted that election security had traditionally been approached largely as an Election Day responsibility, with emphasis on deploying security personnel to polling units and protecting sensitive electoral materials.
He, however, said recent security developments and empirical evidence had shown that election security was not a single-day exercise but a continuous process with direct consequences for public safety, local economies and the well-being of communities.
For residents, the implications can be far-reaching. Maduoma explained that violence, hate speech, disinformation and voter disenfranchisement before an election could force people to abandon their farms, disrupt local businesses and weaken public confidence in government institutions.
He said effective election security, backed by proper coordination, intelligence-led strategies and genuine community partnerships, could help build trust and provide security beyond the electoral period.
The two-day engagement is therefore designed to bridge the gap between grassroots intelligence and formal security structures.
One of the key activities is Community Election Security Threat Mapping, through which women, youths, traditional leaders and other community stakeholders will identify early warning signs, localised risks and other potential threats ahead of elections.
Participants will also develop a Citizens’ Charter of Demand, translating identified security concerns into clear expectations for security agencies, electoral authorities and political actors.
According to Maduoma, the second day will feature a Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue and Institutional Access, allowing community representatives to engage directly with institutions including the Nigeria Police Force, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political leaders.
The dialogue will provide an opportunity for communities to present their concerns directly to those responsible for electoral administration, security and political leadership.
The engagement will also culminate in the signing of a Peace Accord, under which political candidates and parties are expected to publicly commit themselves to peaceful conduct, reject non-state violence and promote community safety before, during and after the electoral cycle.
Maduoma stressed that communities should not be regarded merely as passive recipients of security services or as complainants when security systems fail.
He identified local communities, traditional institutions, vigilante networks and civil society organisations as important sources of early warning, de-escalation and grassroots intelligence.
He said when communities are able to identify their own security risks and work closely with formal law enforcement agencies, security responses can become more targeted, responsive and accountable.
The CLEEN Foundation Executive Director expressed appreciation to the Open Society Foundations (OSF) for its continued partnership and funding support for the initiative.
He urged participants to contribute actively and constructively throughout the two-day programme by sharing their experiences and concerns, stressing that their input would help strengthen election security and community safety across Zamfara State.
Participants at the engagement were drawn from communities across the state, alongside representatives of relevant organisations and institutions.
