Former Senator Haliru Jika has expressed support for the launch of the Safe2Lead Bauchi Initiative, a citizen-centered governance and security programme, during the commemoration of the 44th International Day of Peace. The initiative is designed to embed peace, restore trust, and strengthen accountability across communities in Bauchi State.
In a statement, Jika noted that the programme reflects Bauchi’s belief that peace goes beyond the absence of conflict, stressing that it must include justice, inclusion, and dignity. The former lawmaker, who represented Bauchi Central in the 9th Assembly, explained that Safe2Lead offers a holistic framework by combining institutional reform, participatory governance, community policing, youth engagement, and cultural diplomacy into one strategy.
He revealed that 253,000 Safer Bauchi Marshals will be mobilised across wards in the state to support community policing, gather intelligence, and reinforce local peace structures. “These marshals will serve as the backbone of a citizen-driven security system, with all 20 local government areas fully engaged through the creation of Community Reorientation Committees (CRCs). These committees will give citizens a formal platform to voice concerns, track development, and shape local security responses,” he said.
According to him, the initiative places citizens at the heart of governance reform by blending modern tools such as e-governance and anti-corruption systems with cultural strengths like festivals, heritage diplomacy, and community networks. “By doing so, Safe2Lead Bauchi ensures that peace is not imported but built from within. This approach supports Bauchi’s wider transformation agenda, which includes job creation, universal education, improved healthcare, renewable energy access, and environmental stewardship,” he added.
Malam Haruna Ibrahim, Programme Director of the Better Bauchi Initiative, stated that Safe2Lead Bauchi is designed to give citizens a real stake in both security and governance. “From Community Reorientation Committees in every LGA to 253,000 marshals on the ground, this initiative is showing that peace is strongest when it is citizen-driven and locally owned,” he said.
Programme Director of the Safer Nigeria Initiative, Victor Wilkinson Agih, also highlighted that Safe2Lead Bauchi aligns with Nigeria’s broader priorities in security and governance. “It demonstrates how states can lead from the ground up, putting citizens first and showing that peacebuilding is not abstract — it is practical, measurable, and transformative,” he said.
“This is not just about preventing conflict; it is about building an inclusive society where peace, justice, and development reinforce one another,” Agih added.
