UNDP, CLEEN Foundation Urge Collective Action on Security, Conclude Stakeholder Training on Weapon Management in Yola

YOLA —By Ojoma Yusuf,Yola

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with CLEEN Foundation funded by European Union has concluded a four-day sensitization workshop aimed at promoting responsible weapons and ammunition management among key stakeholders in Yola, Adamawa State.

Organized in collaboration with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), national security agencies, and relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), the initiative sought to enhance efforts to address the proliferation of small arms and improve security in Nigeria’s northeastern region.

Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, Mr. Peter Maduoma, emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement in fostering ownership, collaboration, and sustainable solutions to the region’s security challenges.

“This program is crucial, especially for security personnel, in improving arms control and management to combat insurgency and other threats in the North-East,” Maduoma said. He urged participants to share the knowledge gained with their colleagues and communities to ensure broader impact.

UNDP Programme Specialist, Mr. Peter Olowo, commended the participants for their commitment and resilience, noting that the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen community participation and ensure sustainable peace and security across the region.

Also speaking, CLEEN Foundation’s Programme Manager, Mrs. Chigozirim Okoro, highlighted the proactive nature of the training, stating that it was designed to equip stakeholders with practical tools to tackle insecurity through better coordination and weapon control.

Representing the Commissioner of Police, CP Morris Dankombo, CSP Obed Ali Masoyi of the Double DPO Division, praised the initiative and affirmed that the knowledge acquired would be disseminated to fellow officers to enhance operational effectiveness.

District Head of Malkohi in Yola-North LGA, Alhaji Abubakar Gidado, speaking on behalf of participants, thanked the organizers and promised to extend the sensitization to local hunters and vigilante groups entrusted with arms for community security.

The workshop, as noticed by our reporter, marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to curb illegal arms circulation and promote peace in the North-East.