NCTC-Led Initiative partners NECSOB to address farmers’ concerns

The Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State (NECSOB) has partnered with the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to strengthen engagement with farming communities to ensure that their security and livelihood concerns are heard and addressed through the NCTC-led AgriShield initiative.

At a recent AgriShield town hall in Maiduguri, organised by NECSOB in partnership with the NCTC, farmers and community members came together to discuss the challenges affecting their daily lives.

The event attracted strong community participation, with interactive discussions and community drama helping to highlight the difficulties faced by local farmers.

Participants raised concerns about ongoing insecurity preventing access to farmland, increasing competition for limited agricultural land and the destruction of crops by cattles entering farms.

With the concerns raised, NCTC is taking steps to coordinate with relevant government ministries and security agencies to help identify appropriate responses.

Through its network of more than 200 civil society organisations, NECSOB is supporting the delivery of AgriShield by connecting communities with the NCTC and security services, gathering local insights and ensuring that community concerns inform government coordination and decision-making.

The Director of Administration, NECSOB in Borno State, Dr Abdullahi Maina, said: “AgriShield demonstrates the importance of government and civil society working together.”

He added that the NCTC is leading efforts to strengthen cooperation between communities and security services, while their role is to ensure that the voices of those most affected are heard.

“Farmers have raised important concerns about their safety and livelihoods. By working closely with the NCTC, we can help bring these issues to the attention of the relevant authorities and support practical steps to address them,” he said.

The engagement reflects AgriShield’s wider whole-of-society approach, recognising that to improve community security, there needs to be collaboration among government, security agencies, civil society and citizens.

NECSOB will continue supporting the NCTC-led initiative through community engagements, radio programmes and public information activities, encouraging communities to share security information, follow local security advice and participate in efforts to create safer conditions for farming.