The federal government, Delta State government, and community leaders have commended the impact of a European Union-funded peace-building initiative aimed at addressing violence and criminality in the Niger Delta.
The commendations were made at the close-out meeting of the project titled: “A Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Violence and Criminality in the Niger Delta,” held in Asaba on Friday, April 24, 2026.
The project, funded by the European Union, was implemented by Search for Common Ground in partnership with Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta and Stakeholder Democracy Network.
Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Development, Gift Johnbull, who was represented at the event by Mrs. Rachel Akanigha, described the programme as “a beacon of hope and a path for peace and development in the Niger Delta.”
The presidential aide commending the implementing partners and urging beneficiary communities to sustain and build on the gains recorded.
Also speaking, the Country Director of Search for Common Ground, About Kano Ouattara, said the project adopted a community-centered approach to tackling insecurity across the region.
He explained that over the past 30 months, the consortium worked with community leaders, traditional institutions, security agencies, and other stakeholders to rebuild trust, particularly between youths and leadership structures, while strengthening early warning systems and collaborative responses to conflict.
According Ouattara, who was represented by the Director of Programmes, Gift Omoniwa, the intervention also integrated livelihood support into peacebuilding efforts, with 68 projects executed across 66 communities, including cassava processing plants, water projects, speedboats, market stalls, and vocational training initiatives for youths.
He added that the programme promoted conflict-sensitive media reporting and supported policy advocacy aimed at addressing the root causes of violence in the Niger Delta.
Special Adviser to the Delta State governor on Peace-building and Conflict Resolution, Edwin Uzor, represented by Umeadi Rosemary, described the initiative as a welcome development, stressing that peacebuilding remains a collective responsibility.
He noted that his office continues to mediate in disputes across the state, particularly those relating to leadership tussles, land ownership, and boundary disagreements, and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to sustaining peace through strategic partnerships.
Community leaders also attested to the programme’s impact. Speaking on behalf of the traditional institution, Augustine Miligu of Ashaka community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area said the intervention significantly improved security in the area.
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He recalled that prior to the project, the community experienced high levels of insecurity and disputes, including tensions involving law enforcement, but noted that the establishment of a local peace architecture helped restore stability.
Miligu commended the initiative for addressing multiple challenges simultaneously and called on government to support similar interventions, while urging the completion and commissioning of the cassava processing project in his community.
Stakeholders expressed confidence that the outcomes of the programme would help sustain peace and foster long-term conflict transformation across the Niger Delta.
