The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to adopt a community-driven strategy to address growing security concerns in the South-East. The move signals a shift from force-based responses to approaches that actively involve local communities in peacebuilding and intelligence sharing.

As part of this effort, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East), Barrister Chioma Nweze, held a strategic meeting with the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd.). The discussion brought together officials from the Presidential Community Engagement Team and the Ministry of Defence to explore non-kinetic ways of improving security in the region.

Key areas of focus included boosting intelligence gathering through trusted community structures, improving how government security efforts are communicated to residents, and ensuring that feedback from the grassroots reaches top security authorities. The meeting also agreed on the creation of a joint working group that will organise regional security summits across the South-East, bringing together citizens, traditional leaders, and government representatives.

The government also committed to engaging young people through targeted programmes aimed at reducing unemployment, discouraging criminal activities, and addressing the root causes of unrest. Speaking after the meeting, Nweze said the initiative reflects the government’s renewed commitment to inclusive security management and long-term peace through community participation, not just in the South-East but nationwide.