A civil society group, the Birnin-Gwari Vanguard for Security and Good Governance, has called on the Kaduna State Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to urgently commence the implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) mechanism to consolidate the peace achieved in Birnin-Gwari and surrounding communities.
The group made the appeal in a statement signed by its Chairman, Ibrahim Abubakar Nagwari, and made available to journalists on Saturday.
According to the group, the DDR mechanism is critical to preserving what it described as the “Kaduna Peace Model” and preventing a relapse into insecurity in the area.
“We call on the Kaduna State Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser to immediately commence the implementation of the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration DDR mechanism. This is critical to salvage the Kaduna Peace Model from collapse and sustain the relative peace currently being enjoyed,” the statement said.
The group maintained that Birnin-Gwari had witnessed remarkable improvement in security over the past two years, stressing that reports alleging mass abduction of Hajj returnees along the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway were false and aimed at undermining the peace process.
It said: “We state categorically that at no time in the last two years have we witnessed any mass abduction of people in Birnin-Gwari. The insinuations that some returnees of Hajj 2026 were abducted along the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway are falsehoods propagated by antagonists of the peace gains witnessed in the last eighteen months.”
The organisation also expressed concern over what it described as the politicisation of isolated security breaches, citing the recent killing of a commercial driver, Ibrahim Adamu.
While condemning the incident, the group argued that such occurrences should not overshadow the relative peace and freedom of movement currently being enjoyed by residents and travellers along the Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway.
“Security challenges must not be weaponized for political gain,” the statement added.
The group further urged security agencies to strengthen collaboration with their counterparts in neighbouring Niger, Zamfara and Katsina states, alleging that criminal elements infiltrate Birnin-Gwari from those areas to sabotage the prevailing peace.
It also called on the government to expedite the deployment of the proposed Forest Guards to flashpoint communities immediately after their training, saying the move would provide greater protection for farmers and further strengthen security across the area.
It appealed to residents to remain vigilant and resist attempts by individuals or groups seeking to destabilise the peace process.
It also advised social media users and influencers to refrain from circulating unverified information capable of creating panic and undermining the gains recorded under the Kaduna Peace Model.
“The peace we have built together must be protected by all,” the group said.
