Three Executive Orders, One Security Challenge: Cepeacecode Urges Taraba to Unite Fight Against Drugs, Illegal Mining, Thuggery.

By Jako Keke, August 10, 2026.

The Center for Peace Education and Community Development (Cepeacecode) has called on the Taraba State Government to adopt an integrated approach in implementing its three newly signed Executive Orders targeting drug abuse, illegal mining and political thuggery.

Cepeacecode made the call in a policy brief issued on August 2, 2026, and signed by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Gimba Joseph, stressing that the three challenges should not be treated as isolated security or governance problems.

According to the organisation, drug abuse, illegal mining and political thuggery form an interconnected chain that can deepen insecurity, weaken communities and undermine the state's development if addressed separately.

The policy brief followed Governor Agbu Kefas' signing of three Executive Orders aimed at tackling the challenges, which Cepeacecode described as an opportunity for the state to move beyond isolated enforcement measures towards coordinated prevention, regulation, rehabilitation and youth empowerment.

Cepeacecode argued that the growing abuse of substances such as tramadol, codeine and cannabis among young people is being fuelled by factors including unemployment, peer pressure and limited economic opportunities.

The organisation noted that beyond the immediate health consequences, drug dependence can affect productivity and make vulnerable youths susceptible to criminal activities as they struggle to sustain their habits.

It further identified illegal mining as another major concern, particularly in mineral-rich areas such as Karim Lamido, Wukari and Ussa Local Government Areas.

According to the group, uncontrolled mining of gold, columbite, lithium and other minerals deprives government of legitimate revenue while contributing to deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution and biodiversity loss.

More worrying, it said, proceeds from illegal mining could provide financial resources for the movement of drugs and arms, thereby creating an economic lifeline for criminal networks.

The organisation also raised concerns about the use of young people as political thugs during election periods.

It said some youths are allegedly recruited with money and drugs to intimidate voters, harass political opponents and cause disturbances at polling centres.

Such practices, Cepeacecode warned, could weaken public confidence in democratic institutions, discourage political participation and erode respect for the rule of law.

From Enforcement to Prevention

Cepeacecode observed that the response to drug abuse and related criminal activities in the state has remained largely fragmented, with security agencies concentrating mainly on arrests and enforcement, while prevention, rehabilitation and youth intervention programmes receive comparatively limited attention.

It called for stronger collaboration between security agencies, government institutions, civil society organisations, community development associations and youth-focused organisations.

The organisation proposed the establishment of a “Taraba Safer Communities Taskforce”, comprising the Police, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Mining Marshals.

The proposed taskforce would coordinate operations against illegal mining sites, drug distribution points and identified areas vulnerable to political thuggery.

Cepeacecode also recommended the establishment of an intelligence-sharing mechanism linking drug-related arrests and trafficking information with intelligence on illegal mining sites and criminal networks.

It argued that cases involving illegal mining should be pursued alongside drug and arms-related offences where evidence establishes a connection, with the objective of disrupting the financial networks sustaining criminal activities.

Youth Empowerment as Security Strategy

The organisation emphasised that enforcement alone would not solve the problem, urging the Taraba State Youth Agency to develop alternative livelihood programmes for young people in mining communities.

It proposed mapping youths involved in artisanal mining and connecting them with vocational training, agribusiness opportunities and regulated mining cooperatives.

The organisation also recommended expanding drug-resistance education in schools and communities through partnerships with civil society groups and the use of peer educators.

Ahead of elections, Cepeacecode urged the government, INEC and civil society organisations to intensify political education and launch sustained “No to Thuggery” campaigns to encourage young people to participate in elections peacefully.

Making Mining Communities Part of the Solution

On resource governance, the organisation called for stronger oversight of Community Development Agreements (CDAs), Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in mining communities.

It proposed collaboration between the Resource Justice Network, relevant government ministries and civil society organisations to monitor compliance and report violations to appropriate authorities.

Cepeacecode further advocated the formalisation of artisanal mining through registered cooperatives, arguing that legalising and regulating legitimate mining activities could reduce the space available for criminal networks to exploit the sector.

It also proposed that a portion of fines imposed on illegal miners should be channelled into rehabilitation centres and community development projects in affected local government areas.

Rehabilitation, Not Just Arrests

The organisation stressed the importance of treating drug dependence and youth involvement in criminal activities as issues requiring both enforcement and rehabilitation.

It recommended that the National Agency for the Treatment of Drug Addiction (NATIDA), civil society organisations and the Taraba State Ministry of Health work together to provide counselling, rehabilitation, vocational training and reintegration support for people recovering from drug dependence and repentant former thugs.

It also called for community sensitisation programmes through traditional institutions, community development associations and other local structures.

According to Cepeacecode, communities should be empowered to understand the relationship between drug abuse, illegal mining and political violence and to actively participate in preventing them.

One Data System, One Coordinated Response

One of the organisation's key recommendations is the creation of a Taraba Inter-Agency Coordination Committee, to be chaired by the Secretary to the State Government.

The committee, according to the proposal, should include representatives of security agencies, the Youth Agency, Resource Justice Network, drug rehabilitation stakeholders and selected civil society organisations.

It should meet monthly to review developments, coordinate interventions and assess progress.

Cepeacecode also proposed a unified data portal where government agencies and civil society organisations could upload information on drug abuse, illegal mining and political thuggery to facilitate real-time mapping and evidence-based interventions.

The organisation further recommended allocating 15 per cent of proceeds from legalised mining to youth empowerment and rehabilitation programmes.

It urged the government to ensure that mining Community Development Agreements contain specific provisions for drug prevention and anti-thuggery education.

90-Day Pilot Operation Proposed

To translate the Executive Orders into measurable action, Cepeacecode recommended a six-month review mechanism to assess indicators including arrests, rehabilitation admissions, formalisation of mining operations and the level of election-related violence.

It also proposed that the state establish the Inter-Agency Coordination Committee within 14 days and commence a joint 90-day operation in three identified security and mining hotspots.

The organisation believes such an approach could help break what it described as the “mining → drugs → thuggery” cycle while creating legitimate economic opportunities for young people.

It said the ultimate objective should not be limited to making arrests but should include creating safer communities, protecting the environment, restoring livelihoods and rebuilding public confidence in government institutions.

“Three Executive Orders” should therefore be viewed as “not three separate issues,” Cepeacecode stated, describing them instead as part of “one ecosystem of insecurity and underdevelopment.”

The organisation maintained that by bringing security agencies, youth institutions, mining stakeholders, rehabilitation organisations, community structures and civil society groups under one coordinated framework, Taraba could transform enforcement into prevention and punishment into rehabilitation and sustainable development.

Dr. Gimba said the proposed synergy framework would provide an opportunity for the state to address the immediate security threats while simultaneously tackling some of the socioeconomic conditions that make young people vulnerable to drugs, criminal networks and political violence.