Abuja: The Steering Committee of the Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) Network has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to curb violent extremism and build resilience across Nigeria. Chairman of the committee, Mr. Jaye Gaskia, made the call at the opening of a two-day roundtable and inauguration of the Media Against Violent Extremism (MAVE) network.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event, themed ‘Amplifying Voices for Peace: Media Partnerships in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) and Resilience Building,’ was co-organised by ActionAid Nigeria and the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF). PAVE is a national civil society network present in 22 states, working to strengthen coordination and partnerships among government, civil society, communities, and other actors while advancing context-driven PCVE practices.
Gaskia emphasized that Nigeria’s fight against violent extremism could not be won in isolation, urging synergy among government, civil society, the media, communities, and the private sector. He highlighted that the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PF-NAP) rests on four pillars: strengthening institutions and coordination, promoting rule of law and human rights, engaging communities and building resilience, and integrating strategic communications.
He noted that communication is central to this framework, stating that how issues are framed, reported, and narrated can either fuel division or foster peace. Therefore, the media is seen not as bystanders in PCVE, but as frontline actors. MAVE was created to empower media professionals to responsibly drive narratives of peace and build a nationwide platform against violent extremism.
The PAVE chairman urged journalists to prioritize accuracy over sensationalism and called on the government to implement State and Local Action Plans on PCVE. He also encouraged civil society to promote equity and inclusion and the private sector to invest in prevention strategies and livelihood opportunities for women and youth.
Mr. Aliyu Adamu, ActionAid Nigeria Project Coordinator, remarked on the media’s significant influence in shaping public perception and narratives about violence and crime. He warned that poor reportage could discourage investment and tourism and emphasized that the MAVE initiative aims to mainstream PCVE, protect the national image, and prevent violence.
Ms. Yetunde Adegoke, GCERF National Coordinator, noted that the fund has supported projects across the North-Central and North-West since 2016 to build community resilience. She stressed the media’s critical role in scaling up prevention efforts and hoped it would be a key driver of this movement.
