The North East Youth Initiative for Development (NEYIF), in partnership with Al-Yateem Charity Initiative (AYCI), has reported significant achievements in curbing violent extremism and strengthening social cohesion in Sokoto communities.
At a press conference in Sokoto, the Executive Director of NEYIF, Comrade Mohammed Dauda Gombe, said the project—funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF)—has directly impacted youth, teachers, women, and community leaders across the state.
He explained that interventions in the first and second quarters of 2025 focused on empowering schools, building community dispute resolution systems, enhancing youth awareness, and creating livelihoods that reduce vulnerability to extremist recruitment.
Tangible Impact
In Wamakko, Sokoto North, Kware, and Sokoto South, 48 teachers were trained in conflict-sensitive teaching methods, helping schools address drug abuse, overcrowding, and rising indiscipline. Revitalized Parent-Teacher Associations have given parents a stronger voice in school governance.
Community-based dispute resolution platforms led to the creation of a vigilante group in Sokoto North to combat kidnapping, a welfare committee for Internally Displaced Persons in Sokoto South, and anti-drug campaigns in Kware.
Over 100 youth were engaged in radio programs, social media campaigns, and meetings with Islamic scholars to counter extremist propaganda and promote responsible online behavior.
Vocational training, start-up grants, and cash-for-work projects have empowered young people and women to run small businesses, reducing poverty and cutting off extremist groups’ recruitment base.
Gombe noted that these measures have restored trust in traditional conflict resolution mechanisms, strengthened cooperation with security agencies, and improved community resilience.
Quoting a youth beneficiary, Aisha Abubakar, he said the project has changed the perception of young people and women from passive victims to active peacebuilders. “We now have the confidence to protect our communities from division,” she said.
NEYIF stressed that the interventions are already reducing the space for extremist groups to operate, as communities are now better equipped to detect early warning signs, resist violent recruitment, and work together for peace.
