Friday April 24, 2026
www.thenewsdesk.ng
Concerned by the growing distrust between citizens and security agencies, two civil society organisations have initiated moves to strengthen collaboration to address Nigeria’s deepening ethical and security challenges.
The President of the Social Reorientation and Empowerment Network (SREN), Dr. Daniel Evans Eshett, on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, led a delegation on an advocacy visit to the COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding in Abak, Akwa Ibom State, where they met with the Executive Director, Mr. Saviour Akpan.
Dr. Eshett said the visit was a deliberate effort to foster coordinated civil society action in response to persistent challenges undermining national stability. He identified declining ethical values and weak institutional trust as key concerns requiring urgent attention.
He noted that the erosion of civic values across education, governance, and socio-economic systems had contributed to public distrust in law enforcement and weakened accountability structures. According to him, this trend posed a serious threat to sustainable national development.
The SREN President also highlighted the persistent gap between citizens and security agencies, stressing that antagonistic relationships had continued to hinder effective community policing efforts across the country.
He said that despite existing policies, community policing had remained largely ineffective, calling for intensified advocacy, grassroots sensitisation, and stakeholder engagement to promote inclusiveness and citizen participation in security matters.
Eshett further raised concerns over limited access to justice and the marginalisation of vulnerable groups, urging stronger collaboration among civil society actors to drive reforms and strengthen democratic processes.
In his response, the Executive Director of COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding, Mr. Saviour Akpan, appreciated the visit and reaffirmed COMPPART’s commitment to promoting justice, peacebuilding, and improved relations between security agencies and communities.
He stated that rebuilding trust required sustained engagement, transparency, and respect for human rights, adding that the organisation would partner with SREN to implement community-based advocacy, youth engagement, and capacity-building initiatives to restore public confidence.
He further noted that COMPPART’s long-standing experience in justice sector reforms positioned it to support strategic interventions that would bridge the gap between policy and practice. According to him, strengthening institutional accountability and ensuring that citizens understand their rights remained critical to achieving lasting peace and security.
Akpan added that the proposed partnership would also prioritise youth-focused programmes aimed at promoting ethical values, civic responsibility, and active participation in governance. He expressed optimism that sustained collaboration between both organisations would yield measurable impact in building a more just, inclusive, and secure society.
