On June 14, 2024, PWAN received a distress call from Alkali Modu, the CSP representative and community leader of Bulamari in Mafa. Mr Alkali reported a case involving a military officer accused of brutalizing a community member and harassing young girls in the area.
The case was brought to the attention of Zainab Waziri at the PWAN Borno office. Zainab advised Mr Alkali to report the incident at the barracks, but he expressed fear of retribution from other military personnel. Understanding his concerns, Zainab directly contacted the commanding officer.
The commanding officer responded promptly, apologizing on behalf of the Nigerian military. He organized a town hall meeting in Bulamari community, where he publicly apologized to the community, covered the medical expenses of those affected, and assured that the offending officer would be transferred immediately to the state headquarters for disciplinary action.
Further, the commanding officer invited community leaders to the barracks, encouraging them to report any misconduct by military personnel directly to him, promising swift action. This intervention addressed the immediate issue and strengthened trust between the community and the military, reinforcing the project’s objectives of promoting gender-responsive security operations and enhancing community dialogue.