The North East Development Commission in collaboration with Conflict Security and Development Consult Limited has commenced the training of 600 security volunteers to complement the effort of security agencies in combating criminal activities in three most affected States in northeast.
Lead Consultant of CSD Consult, Sadeeq Shehu, Group Captain (rtd), disclosed this on Tuesday during a three-day training organized for CJTF and Vigilante groups with theme: Training Human Rights Rules of Engagement, and Rules on Use of Force for Civilian Joint Tasks and other vigilante groups held in Maiduguri
According to him, the training was aimed at enhancing the capacity of civilian JTF and Vigilante groups to actively prevent human rights violations and maintenance of peace in the society.
He said “We are looking at training 600 participants across the three states. In Borno, we are training 300 and then 150 in Adamawa and Yobe states respectively. This figure is arrived at based on the level at which insecurity is affecting the states”
“We provided basic human rights and rule of engagement training for not only CJTF but vigilante in Borno, the same program will be done in Adamawa and Yobe states” he added
“One of the biggest challenge with some of these agencies, including the the state, state backed harm group, is issue of communication, especially in terms of relating with the civil populace”
He explained that enhancing security of the northeast region is one of the pillar of the commission, aside reconstruction and empowerment programmes
“NEDC also support activities that promote peace and development in the country.” He said
He noted that the training would promote synergy among security agents in the state, for effective service delivery.
“NEDC consider aspect of human rights and rules of engagements which is provital to safe guard the civilians.
” All this is a violation of human rights, and also to understand that for now, until the Constitution is changed, the work of these agencies is to assist the federal agencies. If they are under the provision of all the state security agencies, they are not tremendous” he mentioned
Some of the participants expressed satisfaction with the training, noting that the programme would empower and equip them with requisite knowledge on how to effectively combat crime and insecurity in the Northeast regions.
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