Tinubu sends peace envoy to Plateau as government intensifies reconciliation efforts

By Isaac Joseph Inyang

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has intensified the Federal Government’s peace and reconciliation efforts in Plateau State by sending a special emissary, Dr. Abiodun Essiet, to engage key community stakeholders and reinforce grassroots conflict-resolution structures.

Dr. Essiet, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), spent two days in the state holding strategic meetings with Christian leaders, Fulani Miyetti Allah representatives, traditional rulers, women groups, and youth leaders, culminating in a town hall dialogue in Jos.

During a courtesy visit to Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, Chairman of the Regional Church Council (RCC) in Barkin Ladi, conversations focused on the role of faith-based institutions in rebuilding trust and promoting unity among Plateau’s diverse communities. Dr. Essiet also met with widows in the area, conveying President Tinubu’s message of healing, reconciliation, and renewed hope for communities affected by conflict. Reverend Dachomo has been one of the most vocal advocates for Christian communities in the state.

In a separate meeting with Fulani leaders in Barkin Ladi, Dr. Essiet emphasized the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive engagement, urging pastoral and farming communities to prioritise dialogue and mutual understanding in resolving disputes. She reaffirmed that sustainable peace can only be achieved through collaboration among all ethnic and religious groups.

A workshop on establishing a functional Community-Based Peace Structure across all 17 Local Government Areas was also held in Jos. The initiative is designed to strengthen early-warning systems, support local conflict-resolution mechanisms, and create permanent channels for intercommunal dialogue.

Dr. Essiet later held a closed-door meeting with the Irigwe community, the Miyetti Allah group, and the Bassa Local Government Youth Council. The meeting reviewed the operations of the existing 17-member peace committee and explored new strategies to deepen reconciliation efforts between the two communities.

She reiterated President Tinubu’s “unwavering commitment to peace, security, and inclusive governance,” noting that the Community-Based Peace Structure remains a vital tool in promoting stability across the North Central region.

A significant outcome of the engagement was the peaceful resolution of a recent dispute between David Toma, owner of Agha Farm in Gyel district of Jos South, and a group of herdsmen whose cattle reportedly destroyed parts of his farm. Toma had seized two cows following the incident. On November 15, the MACBAN Chairman of Bassa LGA, Alhaji Isah Yau, paid N500,000 compensation to Toma, after which the cows were released. Both parties signed an undertaking to embrace peace and avoid further conflict.

The Presidency described the development as an encouraging indicator that community dialogue and federal engagement are beginning to yield results.