After the successful implementation of the first quarter of the State2state project, EYHI
began gearing up for the implementation of the second quarter with different activities to
harmonize the proposal and finalized all plans for a smooth implementation of the project
in continuation for advocating peace building on youths in some part of Gombe state.
Within the quarter, EYHI kick started the implementation of some of the activities in line
with State2state project title ‘building the resilience of youth on conflict and youth
restiveness in Gombe state. This project seeks to strengthen the relationship/collaboration
of stakeholders on peace building and to create an avenue for youth interaction with the
government elected representative and in responding to conflict in targeted communities.
To build momentum on the project title, we implemented some activities across the six
targeted LGAs in the state, namely: Akko, Balanga, Billiri, Gombe, Kaltungo and Shongom
LGAs. The quarter was evolved with the following activities:
Capacity Building Training for CBOs and Stakeholders on Peace and Conflict
Mitigation
This training was organized for CBOs and other relevant stakeholders in each of the six
LGAs. It was aimed at training and strengthening the capacity of CBOs and relevant
stakeholders on peace and conflict mitigation, to identify causes of conflicts and also to
build the capacity of participants to engage in community-based effort to promote
communication, dispute resolution, dialogue for peace and reconciliation in all the six LGAs.
The trainings were held at LGA Conference Hall Akko LGA, Ministry of Internal Security and
Ethical Orientation Conference Hall Gombe LGA, LGA Conference Hall Balanga LGA,
Community Town Hall Shongom LGA, Hakimi Hall 2 Billiri LGA and Mawato Hall Kaltungo.
The training started in accordance with the program agenda at about 9:00am with opening
prayer by two participants from the two recognized religions after which introduction of
participants was done and ground rules for the training were set. The pre-test and
expectations were issued out for participants to answer and were submitted back

A total of two hundred and forty-seven (247) participants were drawn from different
organizations and communities. These included representatives of traditional leaders,
representatives of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), representative of women wing
Christian Association of Nigeria( Women CAN) representatives of Federation of Muslim
women’s Association in Nigeria(FOMWAN), representative of Jama’atu Nasril Islam(JNI)
representative of Nigeria Police Force, Civil Defense corps, Departmental security
officer(DSO), DSS, People With Disabilities(PWDs), National Drugs Law Enforcement
Agency(NDLEA) representative, Youth CAN, representatives of the conflict prone
communities across the six LGAs and desegregated as:

The Executive Director of EYHI who was represented by the program manager and the
program officer welcomed all participants. They gave a brief overview of state2state
activity intervention which is implemented by EYHI with the aim of fostering peace in the
selected LGAs in Gombe state and set the floor rolling for the training by the facilitators.
Miss. Kafama Abner Sanda, one of the facilitators made a presentation on understanding
the concepts: Peace, Conflict and Violence. This was to enable the participants understand
the key concepts and applications to current dynamics of conflict. She also talked about
conflict analysis to increase the knowledge of the participants on conflict analysis and its
application in real conflict situation using the conflict tree model in understanding the
causes of conflict and the different types of conflict handling styles. These include
accommodation, avoidance, competition, compromise and collaboration. The participants
actively participated by completing the diagram and labeling it using case study of the
Conflict usually experienced in prone communities. The participants were able to identify
the root cause of the conflict.
The Lead facilitator Mr. Yibis Sylvester discussed the topic ‘introduction to alternative
dispute resolution (Dialogue, Mediation, Negotiation, Peace building process). This was to
deepen the understanding of participants in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and its
applications in real conflict situation. He also talked about advocacy for conflict mitigation
and transformation, understanding the role of community stakeholders in peace building
and conflict mitigation. These topics were basically to increase the capacity of participants
on advocacy strategies to mitigate conflict and to create a strong response mechanism to
conflict early warning.
He further talked on peace architecture dialogue (PAD) a forum where stakeholders meet
to discuss and plan actions on conflict mitigation issues in their various communities. He
said by establishing the forum it will strengthen stakeholders’ collaboration to peace and
conflict mitigation. It will also build their capacity in responding to conflict and disasters in
their local communities and further develop their local initiatives towards effective
mitigation of conflict progression to violence and better apply the knowledge in demanding
for their rights.
The training also featured interactive and technical sessions in which participants were
divided into three groups using sample of conflict assessment tool to ensure that the key
issues in the targeted communities were addressed by using the tools.
Through the capacity building training for CBOs and relevant stakeholders on peace and
conflict mitigation, EYHI established a Youth Safe Space and Community Dialogue groups
from the representatives of the Youth, Government, security agents (Formal and Nonformal), Faith Leaders, community leaders, NHRC, CBOs, and judicial actors for effective
action on the causes of youth restiveness and violence and how to tackle them

Radio Phone Call Program

Radio phone call program was conducted on the role of youth in promoting peace in
Nigeria. EYHI invited resource persons from relevant stakeholders to response to callers
from the community and also received recommendations from the audience on how to
promote peaceful coexistence and to curtail youth restiveness in Gombe State. We will be
utilizing social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, YouTube and other
popular platforms).

Twenty Four (24) resource persons whom are experts in peace and conflict matters were
drawn from different organizations and communities to participate in the radio phone
call/talk show program at Gombe Media Cooperation (GMC) 91.9 FM where they discussed
a theme ‘’the roles of youth in preventing conflict’’. The theme had Six (6) sub-themes
discussed with 4 resource persons who led discussions in each of the 6 radio episodes.
The following are the sub-themes discussed during the phone called program organized by
EYHI on Gombe Media Cooperation (GMC) 91.9fm.
 The concept of conflict amongst youth in Gombe State
 The factors that influence youth to participate in conflict
 How conflict affects youth
 The roles of youth in conflict mitigation
 Youth and security collaboration in conflict mitigation
 The roles of youth in peace building
Peace Architecture Dialogues (PAD) Between Youth, Security Actors and Civil Society
Organizations and community leaders.
In consultation with all relevant stakeholders, EYHI organized and facilitated four 4
problem-solving dialogues in target LGAs of Gombe State, bringing together a group of
target CBOs, Government agencies and local security actors to form a “Peace Architecture,”
a network of structures capable of analyzing, preventing, and responding to conflict within
the period review in the target LGAs of Gombe State. The dialogues were conducted in
accordance with our principles as collaborative solution-seeking forums, rather than
adversarial finger-pointing exercises. The dialogues will provide a conduit through which
CBOs can employ their newfound advocacy skills to engage security actors as partners in addressing security sector abuse.

The participants nominated two (2) persons as leaders (Chairman and Secretary). Among
them, were some security personnel that were present at the workshop to be their leaders
and will be responsible for leading the teams in youth safe space meetings and community
dialogues. Participants willing to join the groups indicated their interest and agreed to be
meeting in order to iron out issues that cause youth restiveness and violence and how to
tackle these issues as well develop their communities. We viewed the establishment of
youth safe space and community dialogue as a self-sustaining network that will empower
youths and stakeholders in conflict prevention and mitigation as an important outcome of
the activity and will sustain the intervention beyond the project timeline.

Youth, Women, PWDs Peace Summit with All Relevant Stakeholders

EYHI organized one day youth summit with the following stakeholders ( Gombe state
House of Assembly Chairmen Committee on Youth, Security agencies, Local government
and Chieftaincy affairs and Women affairs, Religious leaders, Community Leaders, CBOs ,
CSOs, Implementing Partners , Youth Leaders and Women Leaders. We mainstreamed
gender and persons living with disability to discuss on matter of public importance on
youth restiveness

The summits were held at LGA Conference Hall Akko LGA, Ministry of Internal Security and
Ethical Orientation Conference Hall Gombe LGA, LGA Conference Hall Balanga LGA,
Community Town Hall Shongum LGA, MDGs Hall Biliri LGA and Event Center Kaltungo LGA.
It started in accordance with the program agenda at about 9:00am with opening prayer by
two participants from the two recognized religions after which introduction of participants
was done and ground rules for the summit were set and a pre workshop was conducted.
Expectations and fear sheets were issued out for participants to fill and were returned
back.
A total of two hundred and forty (240) participants were drawn from different
organizations and communities. These includes representative of traditional leader,
representatives of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), representative of women wing
Christian Association of Nigeria( Women CAN) representatives of Federation of Muslim
women’s Association in Nigeria(FOMWAN), representative of Jama’atu Nasril Islam(JNI)
representative of Nigeria Police Force, Civil Defense corps, District security officer(DSO),
DSS, representatives People With Disabilities(PWDs),representative of National Drugs Law
Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) representative, Youth CAN, elected government officials
representatives of the conflict prone communities across the six LGAs and desegregated as:

Participants and Locations

The EYHI Executive Director, Program Manager and the Program Officer welcomed all
participants. They took turns and gave a brief overview of state2state activity intervention

which is implemented by EYHI with the aim of fostering peace in the selected 6 LGAs in
Gombe state and set the floor rolling for the summit by the facilitators.
The Lead facilitator Mr. Yibis Sylvester discussed the topic ‘the causes of youth
restiveness and violence’. This was to inform the stakeholders particularly elected
government representatives on the causes of youth restiveness in Gombe State. He also
commended government efforts in tackling conflict and violence in the state but however,
he added that government needs to do more by helping the youths in harnessing their
potentials. This can be achieved by inclusion youth, women and PWDs in governance,
creating enabling platforms for them to strife better economically and avoid being used as
tools for conflict and violence.
Mr. Usman Sanusi, one of the facilitators made a presentation on the findings of the causes
of youth restiveness in the Gombe state. These findings were generated from technical
questions being answered by relevant stakeholders during the past workshops and
trainings conducted by EYHI. This was to inform the government and other stakeholders
on the state of youth restiveness within the project review.
The summit also featured interactive and technical sessions in which participants were
divided into five groups to collectively identify the causes of youth restiveness and plenary
presentation on responding to conflict in the 6 selected LGAs.

Gender equality and social inclusion

Conflict affects men and women in different gender-specific ways. We pay close attention
to gender considerations and social inclusion in every stage of our activity design and
implementation. However, during the activities EYHI was able to indicate that they are
sensitive toward female gender participation in its activities to ensure that women’s
unique needs and experience are taken into consideration.
Furthermore, PWDs were also carried along to participate in the activities just as the GESI
policies of State2State requires.
Find below the graphical representation of GESI in EYHI activities.

Implementation challenges and how they were managed:

Implementation challenges and how they were managed:
(Radio Program)- Initially, the radio phone call programs of 6 Episodes were spread
between March 29 to April 14, 2022, but due to the Ramadan Fasting period in April, the
radio station advised that the episode should be done from March 29 – to April 4, 2022.
However, EYHI did adjust the dates for the radio program after communicating to
Stat2State.

(Peace Architecture Dialogues) – Some of participants during PAD were not present at the
scheduled time but the EYHI focal persons were able to place a call to remind them of the
activities.
(Peace youth summit)- The elected government officials such as House of Representatives
and State House of Assembly and LGA Chair persons and some Councilors were not in
attendance but however they sent their representative to attend the Youth, women, PWDs
Summit with All Relevant Stakeholders.
Lastly, delay of approval by government officials in accepting EYHI invitation to attend the
youth summit was not encouraging due to bureaucratic reasons.
LESSONS LEARNED
 History play a major role in conflict assessment and analysis. Therefore, the history
of a place needs to be understood and be able to analyze and understand the
dynamics of a particular conflict.
 The active participation in the workshop indicates interest in participants on the
issue of conflict thereby encouraging EYHI on the importance of the project goal in
general.
 EYHI learned more on the causes of conflict across the 6 LGAs namely Akko,
Balanga, Billiri, Gombe, Kaltungo and Shongom.
 EYHI learned that the PWDs are very happy with the way organization always carry
them along in their activities and thereby making them to be more supportive in the
implementation of project activities most especially in Gombe LGA where the
exceeded the number of PWDs invited.
 EYHI learned during the radio program that youth have great potentials and energy
and their voices are essential in any developmental program and will go a long way
in achieving the desired objective.
 The audience got to know the various factors that push youth into conflict, as well as
pull them out of conflict.
 Youth are the wealth of every nation, therefore, play a vital role in peace building. If
only they can appreciate the importance of peaceful co-existence and serve as peace
ambassadors in their communities and nation at large.
 EYHI learned during the radio program that youth have great potentials and energy
and their voices is essential in any developmental program and will go a long way in achieving the desired objective.

SUCCESS STORIES

 EYHI collaboration with government agencies such as Ministry of Internal Security
and Ethical Orientation Akko LGA and Balanga LGA has increased greatly. In
appreciation, the Commissioner and two other LGA chairpersons approved their
hall space for use in order to contribute towards the success of the capacity building
workshop on peace and conflict mitigation which they believe is a way to express
government partnership with the youth in matters concerning peace and
development of Gombe State

Establishment of youth safe space meeting and community dialogue group was
successfully done across the six LGA in order to iron issues that cause youth
restiveness and violence and how to tackle and as well develop of their
communities.

During the participants group session EYHI was able to generate official emergency
line that will assist target communities to communicate early warning signs to
relevant stakeholders such as security actors, NHRC and social welfare in order to
help mitigate or prevent conflict and capital offences.
 EYHI was able to develop a communiqué that contains all that transpired in the
summit and the agreements reached for the purpose of youth development .The
summit was organized in recognition of the significant role of youth in nation
building and the many challenges that confront them in trying to gainfully engage
the socio-political and economic structures in Gombe State.
 As the result of our trainings, one of the participants used the knowledge of conflict
mitigation in resolving land dispute that has been lingering for some years in their
community.
 Due to our intervention, some of the participants from Burak ward in Pero-Shonge
constituency of Shongom LGA reported a case of child trafficking which has a cause
of concern in the community for long.