Today, I received in audience the leadership of the Irigwe Development Association, Bassa LGA of Plateau State, led by its Secretary General, Danjuma Dickson Auta. This engagement forms part of our ongoing efforts through the Presidential Community Engagement Peace Initiative, North Central, to strengthen peace and social cohesion in Plateau State and across the North Central region.
Earlier this year, I visited the Zike community in the Kwall District of Bassa LGA to commiserate with them after a devastating midnight attack that claimed 52 lives, razed homes, and destroyed livelihoods. On the same day, I also visited the herder communities under the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Bassa LGA, who also lost a young member in an attack and suffered the loss of cattle in a poisoning incident.
Since then, we have continued to engage both sides. Remarkably, within the past week, representatives of both groups undertook over 160km journeys from Plateau State to continue these dialogues with me in Abuja, FCT. I have since held audiences with both parties, listening to their concerns, receiving a petition on the wanton killings of Rigwe people from the Irigwe Development Association, and the 17-man Peace Committee report presented by MACBAN( Miyetti Allah), Bassa LGA.
The commitment of both groups to travel such distances and present their positions reflects their genuine desire for peace and peaceful coexistence. They also repose confidence and trust in the President through the Presidential Community Engagement Peace Initiative, North Central, reaffirming that open and sincere dialogue remains the most effective path to peace.
In line with the presidential community peace initiative, I will have a deliberative dialogue next month with both groups in Plateau State and other critical stakeholders to design a lasting peace pathway.