Conflict prevention specialists have called on Nigerian authorities to act more quickly on early warning signs of unrest, warning that delayed responses are contributing to rising violence and preventable loss of lives across the country.
The call was made on Friday in Kaduna during a workshop focused on improving conflict early warning and rapid response systems. The event was organised by the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRING) programme in partnership with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), with support from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Country Research Network West Africa.
Participants at the workshop included representatives from security agencies, government institutions, and civil society organisations. They agreed that while communities often provide timely information on emerging conflicts, the major challenge lies in the slow reaction by authorities before tensions escalate into violence.
Steve Agbo, lead consultant at Dev Consult Development Services, noted that Nigeria’s problem is not a lack of data but a failure to respond promptly to existing warnings. He explained that the country’s conflict environment has become more complicated due to factors such as climate change, growing competition over land and water, and mounting socio-economic pressures.
Agbo stressed that many deaths linked to conflicts could have been avoided with quicker intervention, adding that unresolved disputes frequently evolve into criminal activities, including kidnapping and abductions.
He also advocated for stronger collaboration among multiple stakeholders, suggesting that community-based actors such as vigilante groups, transport unions, and local security outfits should be formally integrated into coordinated response frameworks to prevent conflicts from worsening.
Speaking on behalf of the SPRING programme, Acholonu Chidozie said the initiative is prioritising technology and inter-agency cooperation to improve response times. He explained that efforts are underway to revitalise the early warning situation room at the IPCR, enabling real-time information from communities to be transmitted via mobile platforms to relevant security agencies.
According to Chidozie, the response system connects the IPCR with agencies including the Department of State Services (DSS), the police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), allowing for faster and more coordinated interventions.
He added that while technology plays a key role, trust and continuous engagement among stakeholders are equally critical. As a result, the programme has shifted its focus from national-level operations to state-level implementation, strengthening coordination and response capacity at the grassroots.
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