PIND Inaugurates Local Peacebuilding Committees in Bayelsa to Tackle Grassroots Violence and Insecurity

By Inegbagha Majesty

 In a bold move to address periodic violent conflicts and marginalization in Niger Delta communities, the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has officially inaugurated the first in a series of Local Government Peacebuilding Committees (LGPCs) across Bayelsa State. The initiative aims to institutionalize inclusive, community-led peace structures that can drive locally anchored conflict prevention and resolution.

The inaugural meeting of the LGPC was held on Tuesday, July 1, at the Yenagoa Local Government Council Headquarters. Representing PIND’s Executive Director, Mr. Sam Daibo, the organization’s Peacebuilding Manager, Dr. David Udofia, underscored the urgency of moving from reactive security responses to proactive, sustainable, participatory peacebuilding mechanisms. 

“Most conflicts in the Niger Delta begin at the grassroots but are rarely resolved through structured local responses,” said Udofia. “Through these Peacebuilding Committees, PIND is creating inclusive platforms that bring together youth, women, traditional rulers, security agencies, and local government actors to jointly monitor, analyze, and respond to conflict. It’s about rebuilding trust and co-owning peace.”

The LGPC initiative is part of the European Union-funded project “A Community-Centered Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta” implemented in collaboration with Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN). The project seeks to shift away from militarized approaches and instead foster community-centered peace infrastructures across eight Local Government Areas in Bayelsa: Southern Ijaw, Brass, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Sagbama, Nembe, Ogbia, Ekeremor, and Yenagoa.

Each LGPC comprises 25 representatives per LGA, including traditional leaders, youth and women representatives, LGA officials, civil society actors, EWER (Early Warning Early Response) monitors, religious and ethnic minority leaders, security agencies (Police, DSS, NSCDC), and community liaison officers from the oil and gas sector.

Through monthly meetings, these committees will serve as structured platforms for:

Joint conflict analysis and early warning interpretation,

Development of grassroots peace action plans,

Strengthened community-security collaboration, and

Policy-level advocacy on insecurity, unemployment, youth restiveness, and social exclusion.

Dr. Udofia explained that the intervention is anchored on PIND’s Prevent Council Model, a tested framework that supports the formation of durable peace structures at the local level. He emphasized the importance of local ownership, inclusion of marginalized voices, and evidence-based dialogue, particularly for engaging youth at risk and reintegrating informal actors such as ex-militants and community influencers.

“We’re not just launching committees—we’re building infrastructure for lasting peace,” he added. “By empowering communities with data, training, and coordinated platforms, we are transforming them from passive observers into active architects of security and development.”

The Chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Hon. Bulodisiye Ndiwari, who welcomed the initiative and expressed the LGA’s full commitment to sustaining the LGPC model. “This platform provides us a valuable opportunity to listen, respond, and act together. It is timely and very much needed,” he said.

The LGPC activity will continue across all LGAs from July to September 2025, with support from PIND’s technical team. Activities include training on EWER data use, development of Local Peace Action Plans, and conflict briefings that feed into a planned state-level policy dialogue in Q4 2025.