Nigeria: PAVE Network Launches 30-Day Campaign to Combat Insecurity

As Nigeria confronts a deepening crisis of insecurity, marked by persistent abductions and violent attacks, the Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) Network has initiated a month-long nationwide civic advocacy campaign. Launched in Abuja, the campaign is titled “Protect Nigerian Lives: End Abductions, Strengthen Communities and Stop the Politicisation of Insecurity.” Its primary goal is to galvanize both citizens and policymakers to prioritize the protection of lives and bolster security governance across the country.

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Protect Nigerian Lives: End Abductions, Strengthen Communities and Stop the Politicisation of Insecurity.

PAVE intends for this initiative to channel the widespread public frustration over the security situation into sustained civic engagement. The network seeks to drive practical reforms, enhance the resilience of communities, and improve accountability within Nigeria's security framework. The organization highlighted that the nation's security challenges are manifested through extensive abductions, violent extremism, organized crime, attacks on educational institutions, and increasing threats to livelihoods. PAVE stressed that effectively addressing these issues requires not only decisive government action but also active participation from citizens.

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Nigeria’s security crisis continues to manifest through widespread abductions, violent extremism, organised criminality, attacks on schools and increasing threats to livelihoods, stressing that addressing the challenge requires not only decisive government action but also active citizen participation.

The campaign features a comprehensive schedule of activities, including a nationwide petition, strategic media engagement, town hall meetings at both state and national levels, and mobilization efforts targeting youth and women. A key component involves policy advocacy with State Houses of Assembly regarding ongoing constitutional discussions about establishing state police forces. While acknowledging the growing calls for decentralized policing to combat insecurity, PAVE issued a caution. The network emphasized that any framework for state police must incorporate robust institutional safeguards to prevent political interference, abuse of authority, ethnic profiling, and violations of fundamental human rights.

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Any framework for state police must be backed by strong institutional safeguards to prevent political interference, abuse of authority, ethnic profiling and violations of fundamental human rights.

Furthermore, PAVE underscored the critical role of strengthening local government institutions in improving community security. The organization argued that local councils, being the closest government tier to citizens, are best positioned to support early warning systems, peacebuilding initiatives, and rapid community responses to emerging security threats. PAVE plans to execute the campaign through its national and state structures, alongside affiliated platforms like Youth Against Violent Extremism, Women Against Violent Extremism, and Media Against Violent Extremism, ensuring broad participation. The network urged all Nigerians, civil society organizations, labor unions, professional bodies, faith-based organizations, and community leaders to actively support the campaign, asserting that safeguarding lives and restoring security must transcend political divides and be treated as a shared national responsibility.

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Strengthening local government institutions is critical to improving community security, arguing that local councils remain the closest tier of government to citizens and are best positioned to support early warning systems, peacebuilding initiatives and rapid community responses to emerging security threats.