In Kaduna, community peacebuilding helps stop disputes from turning violent

# What this report shows

# How these programs operate

Programs combine practical training and everyday practice. They bring young people together during community activities, teach basic mediation and listening skills, and encourage participants to prioritise restoring relationships over assigning blame. When tensions arise, trained community members intervene quickly to calm situations and refer more complex disputes to local mediation networks.

# Who is involved

Local organisations and community networks run most activities. The report highlights the role of youth participants — such as an 18-year-old, Mistura Hussain, who responded to a heated argument during a community activity by focusing on restoring calm rather than determining who was right — and mentions faith-based and civic groups that convene dialogues. Some groups maintain offices in Kaduna to coordinate activities and outreach.

# Why the approach matters

Kaduna has recurring, localized flashpoints that can escalate into wider violence. By building relationships across divides and training people who are likely to be present when tensions start, these initiatives aim to catch disputes early. The methods are practical: short trainings, routine community events that mix groups, and rapid local response pathways.

# Concrete practices described

• Training young people in de-escalation and mediation during community events.
• Setting up local networks that can be called on to intervene in emerging disputes.
• Holding regular intergroup activities to create relationships and reduce suspicion.

# An everyday example

A recurring example in the report involves a community activity where two youths began arguing. Instead of escalating the situation or seeking to quickly assign blame, a trained peer shifted the focus to cooling tensions and repairing the relationship. That intervention prevented immediate escalation and modelled a different way of handling disputes.

# What this implies for wider prevention efforts

# Observations and next steps mentioned

The report indicates that sustained, local engagement is essential. Regular contact among groups and repeated practice of mediation skills make responses more reliable when tensions flare. The continued involvement of youth and community actors is presented as a practical route to lowering the frequency of violent escalations.

# Visual and publication details

# Bottom line