BY SOLOMON OKPO
Two civil society organisations have initiated a strategic partnership aimed at addressing the growing distrust between citizens and security agencies, as well as the widening erosion of ethical values in Nigeria.
The move followed an advocacy visit by the President of the Social Reorientation and Empowerment Network (SREN), Dr. Daniel Evans Eshett, to the COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding in Abak, Akwa Ibom State, where he met with the organisation’s Executive Director, Mr. Saviour Akpan.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Eshett described the engagement as a deliberate effort to build a coordinated civil society response to persistent socio-political challenges threatening national stability. He identified declining moral standards and weak institutional trust as critical issues requiring urgent and sustained intervention.
According to him, the steady erosion of civic values across key sectors, including education, governance, and the broader socio-economic landscape, has fueled public distrust in law enforcement agencies and weakened accountability systems.
He further noted that the strained relationship between citizens and security agencies continues to undermine the effectiveness of community policing initiatives nationwide. Despite existing frameworks, he said, community policing has largely failed to deliver expected results due to poor public cooperation and mutual suspicion.
Dr. Eshett called for intensified grassroots advocacy, public sensitisation, and inclusive stakeholder engagement to rebuild confidence and encourage active citizen participation in security governance.
He also raised concerns over limited access to justice, particularly for vulnerable groups, stressing the need for stronger collaboration among civil society organisations to advance reforms and deepen democratic accountability.
In his response, the Executive Director of COMPPART Foundation, Mr. Saviour Akpan, welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to promoting justice, peacebuilding, and improved relations between communities and security institutions.
Akpan emphasised that rebuilding public trust would require sustained engagement, institutional transparency, and strict adherence to human rights principles. He disclosed that COMPPART would work with SREN to implement community-based advocacy programmes, youth engagement initiatives, and capacity-building efforts aimed at restoring public confidence.
He added that COMPPART’s experience in justice sector reforms positions it to support practical interventions that bridge the gap between policy formulation and implementation.
The proposed collaboration, he said, would also prioritise youth-focused programmes designed to instill ethical values, promote civic responsibility, and encourage active participation in governance.
Both organisations expressed optimism that their partnership would deliver measurable impact in fostering a more inclusive, accountable, and secure society.
