As projected earlier in the year, there’s an exciting line up of strategic projects to run all through the year in furtherance of our mission mandate as a leading civil society organisation on public safety and security. Within the month of February, the foundation simultaneously implemented series of interventions across the various projects managed by the organisation.
Under its project “Preventing Serious and Organised Crime”, the Foundation held an Inception workshop and inauguration of crime prevention partnership in Ifako-Ijaiye and Ajeromi- Ifelodun LGAs of Lagos state on the 14 and 24 of February respectively. The meeting was aimed at intimating critical local community stakeholders in both LGAs on the project and its objectives and to formally inaugurate the Crime Prevention Partnership (CPP). The project which is supported by the UK government in partnership with the Nigerian government is seeking to support the prevention of the involvement of young persons in Serious and Organized Crime.
Further, the Foundation in her efforts geared towards strengthening police reform in Nigeria, held a methodology workshop on February 15, 2022 to review the tools to be deployed for a nationwide perception survey on police reform efforts in the aftermath of the EndSARS protest. The workshop brought together about 22 stakeholders with focus on police reform in Nigeria to suggest and contribute to the research tools that will be deployed for the nationwide survey on police reform in Nigeria. The presentation of our methodology for this task with stakeholders was to incorporate seasoned views and opinions that will result in an effective research tool, exercise and findings. The research is also to re-establish our commitment to ensuring accountability, rights-respecting police service delivery in the country.
In the same manner, as the month rolled to an end, the organization established EWER Stakeholders Forum on Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) System in Plateau and Taraba States under the “Village Monitoring Project” on 24 – 25 February and 28 February – 1st March respectively.
The Forum was designed to cultivate additional inputs into EWER implementation strategies, secure buy-in among stakeholders and set up the EWER Collaborative Forum in the focal communities (Barkin Ladi and Jos South, Gassol and Wukari) within the selected Local Government Areas in Plateau ad Taraba States respectively.Under our anticorruption work, the CLEEN Foundation team monitored the utilization of the recovered funds (Abacha loot 3) for the construction of 2nd River Niger Bridge between the 22-26 of February 2022. The CLEEN team witnessed tremendous progress of works by the Contractor Julius Berger as compared to the last visit in November. It is also safe to say that the CLEEN team are the very first set of individuals to walk across the 2nd River Niger Bridge.
In addition, as part of CLEENs effort to continue to promote public safety and security in Nigeria, CLEEN Foundation in partnership with the Torchlight Group UK organized a Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Serious and Organised Crime on the 28th of February 2022. The aim of the Roundatable was to formally introduce the project to critical state and local stakeholders and to solicit guidance on the best pathway that will be most beneficial to the target audience and contribute to the reduction of crime in Lagos State.
Conclusively, the CLEEN Foundation will continue to thrive in its work around public safety and security in Nigeria. Our calendar for the year remains fully packed and we will continue to bring you updates about our interventions in Nigeria and Africa. Stay glued to our platforms as March promises to bring you a more interesting read. For more frequent catch up and updates, follow CLEEN Foundation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (@cleenfoundation) and our website www.cleen.org.