OSPRE Empowers Grassroots for Peace: SPARCs Project Strengthens Community Resilience Across Nigeria
By Auwal Umar, Gombe
In a bid to foster sustainable peace and community resilience, the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE) has concluded a transformative capacity-building initiative under its Safety, Peace, and Resilience in Communities (SPARCs) project.
The programme, which unfolded across eight local government areas in Anambra, Benue, Katsina, and Plateau States, was executed in collaboration with the UK’s Integrated Security Fund and the Neem Foundation.
Project Manager Hafsah Matazu disclosed in a press statement made available to journalists over the weekend, highlighting the programme’s goal of embedding early warning and response structures at the grassroots level.
“We’re working to ensure that communities are not only aware of potential threats but are also equipped to respond to them,” she said.
The initiative united a diverse group of stakeholders, including traditional rulers, faith leaders, local authorities, community watch groups, and personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Participating LGAs included Idemili North and Awka South in Anambra; Oju and Vandeikya in Benue; Batagarawa and Kurfi in Katsina; and Bokkos and Mangu in Plateau.
Speaking during an After-Action Review Forum, the Director General of OSPRE, Mr. Chris Ngwodo, emphasized the importance of grounding peacebuilding efforts at the community level.
“Embedding early warning, response, and resilience structures within local governments is part of our strategy to revitalise grassroots governance,” Ngwodo stated.
“Recovery and stabilisation must begin with restoring functionality to the third tier of government.”
He expressed gratitude to the UK government for its support in laying the groundwork for safer and more cohesive communities.
A major component of the project was a comprehensive research exercise designed to assess existing local security systems. Using key informant interviews, OSPRE identified capacity gaps and tailored its training modules accordingly.
Training topics included conflict prevention, emergency preparedness, gender-sensitive security approaches, and community data analysis.
Beneficiaries received training kits comprising manuals, mobile phones, flashlights, and whistles to enhance early warning systems in their localities.
Participants lauded the initiative’s impact. Abdullahi Ibrahim Lawal of the Katsina State Emergency Management Board praised the programme for instilling a sense of shared responsibility among residents.
“Security is everyone’s business—men, women, and even children. SPARCs has truly driven that message home,” he remarked.
In a similar vein, Dr. Julie Sanda, Director General of the Plateau Peacebuilding Agency, described the project as a timely intervention that bridges the gap between citizens and their local government structures.
“This programme has empowered communities with the tools and knowledge to be proactive in ensuring their own safety,” she said.
Air Vice Marshal Ben Chiobi (rtd.), Special Adviser on Security to the Anambra State Governor, commended the SPARCs project for integrating modern technology into grassroots security efforts. “This is a game changer in how we approach safety and peacebuilding at the community level,” he noted.
Established in 2022 under ECOWAS protocols, OSPRE—also known as the National Centre for the Coordination of Early Warning and Response Mechanisms—remains steadfast in its mission to strengthen local governance, peacebuilding, and national stability.
With SPARCs setting the pace, OSPRE continues to illuminate the path toward a more secure and resilient Nigeria—one community at a time.
