UNDP lauds Borno, Adamawa, Yobe over stabilisation efforts

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has commended governments of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states for their exceptional leadership efforts.

It lauded their unwavering commitment to stabilisation under the Regional Stabilisation Facility (RSF).

global agency noted that effective leadership had been instrumental in advancing recovery initiatives, rebuilding essential infrastructure, and restoring hope to communities devastated by the Boko Haram insurgency.

According to the UNDP, the RSF has positively impacted over 7.2 million individuals in the affected states, implementing projects to enhance safety, improve access to justice, and reconstruct vital public structures, including police stations, barracks and courts.

UNDP’s Public Security Coordination Specialist, Usman Babangida Usman, shared the significant achievements during the opening of a six-day training session for law enforcement officers in Jos, Plateau State.

The programme brought together officers from the Nigerian Army, Police, Customs, Civil Defence and Immigration Service. It featured sessions on ethical practices, gender sensitivity and human rights, as well as mental health and psychosocial support.

Usman, who represented the UNDP Team Lead for Governance, Peace, and Security, Matthew Alao, stressed that the success of the RSF was fundamentally reliant on government’s ownership and commitment.

He said: “So far, under the Regional Stabilisation Facility, we have impacted over 7.2 million persons across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. This has been achieved through improved safety and security, access to justice, and critical infrastructure rehabilitation.

“Stabilisation must be government-driven. The governors of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe have shown exceptional commitment and ownership, leading the stabilisation process with great dedication.”

Usman explained that the training, themed: ‘Strengthening Ethical Policing and Mental Resilience’, aims to equip over120 officers from various law enforcement agencies with skills in ethical practices, gender sensitivity, and mental health support.

He highlighted the importance of addressing psychological challenges faced by officers in conflict-affected areas.

The UNDP official reiterated that the focus on mental health aligns with the lessons learned from previous phases

Unit Coordinator of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre in Jos, Abdulmumuni Adamu Maimako, commended the collaboration between the UNDP and the centre

Maimako applauded the involvement of the UNDP in training security personnel to be physically and mentally prepared for their duties, and the focus on trauma recovery and psychosocial support in the current training.

Francis Okunwe of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nanput Gambo, representing the Immigration Service, expressed gratitude for the UNDP’s efforts in their goodwill messages, acknowledging the critical role such programmes play in enhancing security and building community resilience, not only in the Northeast, but also across other regions grappling with similar challenges.