Centre trains 2,000 vigilantes, tasks them on insurgency

The Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC) Jos has trained 2,000 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) drawn from states in the North-East.It charged the beneficiaries to see themselves as potential victims of insurgency and as such must contain the menace by ensuring peace, security and survival of the society.

Besides, they were reminded that the current administration at the federal level was taking the anti-terror fight serious to engender progress and development.The Director-General of CLTC, Jonah Bawa, gave the charge at the weekend while declaring the course, SH: 1074, closed.The last batch compromised participants from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. All of the 2,000 beneficiaries were sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Bawa noted that youths were indispensable agents of development of any nation but regretted that this important segment of the society had for years been indoctrinated with violent acts like killings and destruction of property by those they looked up to as role models.

The UNDP Director, Samuel Bwalya, expressed delight as being part of the last batch of 441 participants that undertook the capacity building training for the 2000 members of the CJTF and vigilance groups.

Represented by the UNDP Coordinator, Matthew Alao, he noted: “The importance of the reintegration of former CJTF/vigilance groups into their respective communities is to recognise the contributions of the young men and women who have actively collaborated with the Military Joint Task Force to annihilate the dreaded Boko Haram in the North East as well as guarantee community peace, stability and activate the local economy.

“The first phase of the programme is designed to build and strengthen the capacity of the CJTF/vigilance groups to render quality community security services to their communities. These include improved protection of human rights, increased prevention of sexual and gender-based violence and promotion of community cohesion and peaceful co-existence.”

The second phase would help beneficiaries acquire skills in technical and vocational trades of their choice to enable them live an economically and socially viable life long after the insurgency while the third phase is to support the graduates of the skill acquisition programme with equipment grants to establish their businesses.

Bawa appreciated the Federal Government, partners and donors for their continued support.The coordinator said 1,559 CJTF had already been trained in addition to 441 participants that just passed out, bringing the total to 2000 out of the 30,000 that were operating in the region.