The support came in the form of communication equipment distributed to members of Community Peace and Resilience Committees (CPRC) operating across several districts in the two local government areas. Each committee member received an Android phone and a power bank to help them carry out their duties more effectively. Representatives serving as contact persons for the program in the respective local government areas also got the same devices.
The presentation took place in Gusau and brought together district heads, members of the CPRC, program contact persons, and other stakeholders involved in the ongoing peace initiative. The atmosphere was one of relief and optimism as beneficiaries recognized that better communication tools could make a real difference in how quickly they respond to tensions in their communities.
Officials from the IOM who coordinated the distribution explained that the devices were provided to improve coordination and information sharing among committee members. The committees cover Damba, Madawaki, Mayana, Gada Biyu, Kotarkwashi, Gada, Gulluba and Sankalawa districts. With reliable phones and power banks, members will now be able to stay in touch more easily, share updates, and alert relevant authorities when signs of trouble appear.
A major focus of the intervention is to support Early Warning and Early Response mechanisms. Committee members are expected to use the phones to report incidents promptly, especially those related to farmer-herder clashes and other security concerns that have affected parts of Zamfara in recent years. The idea is that faster reporting will lead to faster intervention, helping to prevent disputes from escalating into violence and to promote peaceful coexistence among different groups.
Speaking at the event, the officials noted that technology can play a critical role in peace work when placed in the hands of people who understand their communities. They said the phones and power banks were not just gadgets but tools for saving lives, protecting livelihoods, and building trust between communities and response agencies.
The Chairman of the CPRC and District Head of Madawaki Ward, Alhaji Dahiru Shehu, spoke on behalf of the traditional leaders. He described the intervention as timely and meaningful. According to him, the lack of reliable communication has long been a challenge for volunteers working to keep the peace at the community level. With the new devices, committee members can now document incidents, call for help, and coordinate with other stakeholders without delay.
Alhaji Dahiru Shehu said the support would strengthen the operational capacity of the committees and make early warning systems more effective. He noted that when people can communicate quickly, it becomes easier to de-escalate misunderstandings, organize dialogue sessions, and resolve disputes before they get out of hand. He added that the gesture would also encourage more community members to get involved in peace activities because they can see practical support backing the effort.
He expressed gratitude to the IOM and its partners for remembering grassroots structures in the peacebuilding process. He said such support shows that the work being done by traditional institutions and community volunteers is valued and that their role in maintaining stability is recognized.
The district head gave assurance that beneficiaries would use the devices responsibly and for the purpose they were intended. He said the phones and power banks would be deployed to support community-based peacebuilding activities and to help sustain the relative calm that has been achieved in Gusau and Bungudu. He urged committee members to see the equipment as a trust and to remain committed to dialogue, fairness, and the protection of all residents regardless of background.
The broader goal of the program is to strengthen peace structures from the ground up. By equipping local committees with the right tools, the initiative seeks to improve community resilience, foster social cohesion, and support long-term stability in areas affected by conflict. The approach recognizes that sustainable peace cannot be imposed from outside alone, but must be built with the active participation of the people who live with the consequences of violence every day.
Beyond Zamfara, similar efforts are being extended to conflict-affected communities in Katsina State as part of a wider strategy to address insecurity in the northwest. The emphasis is on prevention rather than reaction, on listening to community voices, and on creating systems that allow problems to be identified and addressed early.
For many residents in Gusau and Bungudu, the distribution represents more than just phones. It represents hope that their concerns will be heard faster, that help will arrive sooner, and that the cycle of violence can be broken through cooperation and timely action. Traditional leaders say they will continue to mobilize their people around the message of peace and will work closely with the committees to ensure the devices translate into real impact on the ground.
With better communication now in place, the expectation is that Community Peace and Resilience Committees will be able to do their work with greater confidence, knowing they have the means to connect, to report, and to respond. As one elder put it during the event, peace begins with a conversation, and now those conversations can happen quickly and reach the right people at the right time.
