The Protecting Our Communities Initiative (POCI) was a community-driven peacebuilding programme implemented by Elohim Development Foundation (EDF) in Benue State as part of the broader Collaborations to Improve Community Security initiative led by Karuna Center for Peacebuilding in partnership with Neem Foundation and other local implementing organizations.

Implemented between 2019 and 2024, the project sought to reduce recurring violence between farming and herding communities by strengthening grassroots peace structures, promoting dialogue, and building locally owned systems for conflict prevention and civilian security.

Recognising that communities are often the first to identify emerging security threats, POCI placed women, young people, traditional leaders, farmers, herders, and other local stakeholders at the centre of peacebuilding. Through community participation, dialogue, and capacity strengthening, the project empowered local actors to prevent violence, resolve disputes peacefully, and contribute to safer, more resilient communities.

The experience and lessons from POCI later informed the design of the Empowering Community Security (ECOS) project, allowing successful community-led peacebuilding models to be expanded to new communities across Nigeria.

Our Approach

EDF implemented POCI through integrated, community-owned peacebuilding approaches that strengthened local capacity for conflict prevention, dialogue, and collaborative security management.

Community-Based Early Warning and Early Response (EWER)

A cornerstone of the project was the establishment of Community-Based Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems designed to identify and address security threats before they escalated into violence.

EDF facilitated the formation and training of Community Response Teams comprising women leaders, youth representatives, traditional rulers, farmer and herder associations, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and security agencies. These teams monitored local conflict indicators such as land disputes, crop destruction, cattle rustling, misinformation, population movements, and other emerging risks.

Using structured reporting mechanisms and regular coordination meetings, communities were able to validate incidents, coordinate timely responses, and collaborate with relevant authorities to prevent violent escalation.

Importantly, ownership of the EWER structures remained with the communities, ensuring sustainability beyond the project's lifespan.

Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD)

The project utilized Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD) as one of its principal peacebuilding methodologies.

Rather than encouraging adversarial debate, RSD created safe and carefully facilitated spaces where participants shared personal experiences, listened actively, and reflected on the realities faced by others. Through structured conversations grounded in empathy and mutual respect, farmers, herders, women, youth, and community leaders were able to rebuild trust, challenge stereotypes, and identify shared solutions to common challenges.

The dialogue process strengthened relationships, reduced tensions, and encouraged peaceful coexistence among communities with long-standing grievances.

Capacity Building for Community Peace Leaders

POCI invested significantly in strengthening local leadership by training community facilitators, Peace Ambassadors, women leaders, youth representatives, and members of farmer and herder associations in:

• Conflict analysis

• Mediation and negotiation

• Dialogue facilitation

• Community mobilisation

• Collaborative problem-solving

• Conflict-sensitive communication

These trained community leaders became local peace champions who continued facilitating dialogue and responding to community tensions beyond the project's implementation period.

Community Engagement and Inclusive Peacebuilding

EDF recognised that sustainable peace depends on inclusive participation.

The project actively engaged women, young people, traditional institutions, religious leaders, community-based organisations, and local government actors in peacebuilding activities. Community dialogues and stakeholder engagements strengthened relationships between citizens and institutions while creating opportunities for local priorities to influence security responses and decision-making.

This inclusive approach helped build trust, increased community ownership of peace processes, and promoted collective responsibility for preventing violence.

Strategic Communication and Countering Harmful Narratives

Recognising the growing role of misinformation and harmful stereotypes in fuelling conflict, POCI promoted responsible communication and community awareness.

Through community sensitisation, dialogue platforms, and advocacy activities, EDF encouraged peaceful messaging, challenged divisive narratives, and strengthened community resilience against rumours capable of triggering violence.

Project Coverage

The Protecting Our Communities Initiative (POCI) was implemented across 18 communities in six Local Government Areas spanning Benue, Kaduna, and Zamfara States through a consortium of implementing partners.

As the implementing partner in Benue State, Elohim Development Foundation (EDF) delivered project activities in the following communities:

• Agagbe

• Nagi

• Naka

• Udei

• Daudu

• Gbajimba

Across these communities, EDF worked closely with women, youth, farmer and herder associations, traditional rulers, civil society organizations, community leaders, and security stakeholders to strengthen grassroots peacebuilding structures and improve community-led approaches to civilian security.

Key Achievements

The project successfully:

• Established and strengthened community-owned Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) systems.

• Trained community facilitators, Peace Ambassadors, women leaders, youth representatives, and farmer and herder associations in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

• Facilitated Reflective Structured Dialogue (RSD) sessions that strengthened trust and improved relationships between farming and herding communities.

• Built the capacity of Community Response Teams to identify, monitor, and respond to early signs of conflict.

• Strengthened collaboration between traditional institutions, government agencies, security actors, civil society organizations, and local communities.

• Promoted inclusive participation of women and young people in local peacebuilding and security processes.

• Encouraged community ownership of sustainable conflict prevention mechanisms that continued beyond the project's completion.

Lasting Impact

The Protecting Our Communities Initiative established a strong foundation for community-led peacebuilding in Benue State by demonstrating that sustainable civilian security begins with empowered communities.

The project strengthened local leadership, improved collaboration between communities and security stakeholders, and created sustainable mechanisms for early warning, dialogue, and peaceful conflict resolution. Communities became better equipped to identify emerging threats, respond collectively to disputes, and build relationships based on trust rather than division.

Most importantly, POCI laid the groundwork for the Empowering Community Security (ECOS) project, enabling EDF and its partners to expand proven peacebuilding models, deepen community resilience, and continue advancing locally led solutions to conflict across North-Central Nigeria.