By Abdullahi Maku
Abuja, Sept. 16, 2026 (NAN) The National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) has pledged to collaborate with the West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA) Nigeria to promote peace and prevent violence ahead 2027 polls.
NCWS National President, Mrs Edna Azura, made the commitment when she received Mr Martin Igwe, Regional First Vice-President (West Africa), WAANSA, during a courtesy visit to Abuja on Wednesday.
Azura said the visit underscored the shared commitment of both organisations to promoting peace, preventing armed violence and advancing human security across Nigeria and the wider West African region.
She appreciated WAANSA Nigeria for inviting her as Guest Speaker at the 2026 International Day of Peace celebration scheduled for Monday, Sept. 21, saying the recognition highlighted women’s peacebuilding roles.
She said the theme, “Invest in Peace: Everyone, Everywhere,” was timely, calling for deliberate investments in dialogue, inclusion, justice, education and human dignity to strengthen peaceful communities across Nigeria.
Azura said Nigerian women continued to bear significant consequences of terrorism, banditry, communal violence, kidnapping, insecurity and small arms proliferation, while remaining important peacebuilders in communities nationwide.
She said NCWS aligned with WAANSA’s advocacy against small arms proliferation, border insecurity, violent extremism and misuse of dual-use fertilisers for producing improvised explosive devices threatening communities.
The NCWS president said the council would mobilise women across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory to serve as peace ambassadors and advocates for dialogue, tolerance and coexistence.
She said women would receive sensitisation to responsible community vigilance, violence prevention, misuse of dual-use fertilisers, early warning mechanisms and conflict prevention within their communities across the country.
Azura urged political leaders, parties, security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups and other stakeholders to reject violence, hate speech and incitement ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Elections must never become a battlefield; they must remain a peaceful expression of the will of the people,” she said, urging stakeholders to uphold democratic values throughout electoral processes.
Earlier, Igwe said WAANSA Nigeria was seeking long-term collaboration with NCWS to mobilise women and communities in promoting peace and security before, during and after elections.
He said WAANSA, a network of civil society organisations working for peace and sustainable development, was committed to strengthening peacebuilding initiatives across Nigeria and the West African region.
Igwe said the organisation operated within the peace and security framework of ECOWAS and worked closely with the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons.
He said WAANSA also collaborated with the Office of the National Security Adviser and participated in international engagements promoting women’s integration into peace, security and governance processes.
He said the forthcoming International Day of Peace forum would highlight Nigerian women’s numerical strength and advocate greater participation in policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.
Igwe expressed concern that ECOWAS free-movement provisions could be exploited by criminal elements for cross-border insecurity, while diversion of fertilisers into criminal activities could affect food security.
He called for the solidarity and participation of Nigerian women, saying their involvement would strengthen community awareness, peacebuilding, security and sustainable development before, during and after the 2027 elections.(NAN)
AMB/AMM
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Edited by Abiemwense Moru