By Peter Omopo
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has deployed his Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement (North Central), Dr. Abiodun Essiet, to Plateau State as part of ongoing efforts to foster peace and deepen intercommunal relations in the state.
According to a statement issued on Sunday, November 16, by Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Dr. Essiet embarked on a two-day peace mission during which she met with Christian clerics, Fulani Miyetti Allah leaders, traditional rulers, youth groups, and women representatives across multiple communities.
The engagement culminated in a town hall meeting in Jos, where delegates from various local government areas discussed strategies for building sustainable, community-driven peace structures to enhance coexistence among diverse ethnic and religious groups.
As part of the visit, Dr. Essiet paid a courtesy call on Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, Chairman of the Regional Church Council (RCC) in Barkin Ladi. Discussions centered on the role of faith-based leadership in promoting unity, peace, and social development.
She also met with widows in the area, delivering President Tinubu’s message of healing and ethnic reconciliation. In Barkin Ladi, Dr. Essiet engaged Fulani leaders in a bid to strengthen dialogue and bridge divides between pastoralist and farming communities.
Her engagements included a workshop on establishing a community peace structure spanning all 17 local government areas of Plateau State. She later held a closed-door session with representatives of the Irigwe community, Miyetti Allah, and the Bassa LGA Youth Council.
Efforts to consolidate peace in the state were highlighted with the recent resolution of a dispute involving David Toma, owner of Agha Farm in the Gyel district of Jos South, and a group of herdsmen. After two cows were seized over alleged farm destruction, Alhaji Isah Yau, Chairman of MACBAN in Bassa LGA, paid N500,000 compensation on November 15, leading to the peaceful return of the cows. All parties signed an undertaking to maintain peace.
Dr. Essiet reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to inclusive governance, describing community-based peace platforms as essential tools for dialogue, reconciliation, and long-term stability in the North Central region.
