Following the recent presidential visit to Jos, Plateau State, stakeholders yesterday had an audience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR at the Presidential Villa, State House, Abuja. I was honoured to be part of this significant engagement, which marks another step toward restoring peace, stability, and trust among communities in Plateau State. The delegation was led by His Excellency, Caleb Mutfwang, and comprised a broad spectrum of leaders and representatives, including the Speaker of the House of Assembly, former governors of Plateau State, senators representing the state, Rt. Hon. Wase Idris, the Gbong Gwom Jos, the Emir of Wase and Chairman of JNI Plateau State, the APC National Chairman, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, the CAN Plateau State Chairman, the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque Plateau State, the Plateau State Youth Leaders, representatives of Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN), among other critical stakeholders. The meeting, which lasted for over three hours, featured robust and open-minded deliberations. President Tinubu gave ample time to every member of the delegation, attentively listening to the concerns raised regarding the security challenges in Plateau State and exploring practical pathways toward sustainable peace.
At the end of the deliberations, Mr. President directed the delegation to return and revisit the Plateau State Government’s existing white paper reports on the crisis. He further instructed to constitute a committee from within the delegation to develop a practical working document that outlines how to implement the recommendations in the white paper reports and address the underlying challenges. He assured that once a consensus is reached on a clear pathway to peace and presents it to him, he will approve and fully support its implementation. Furthermore, the President emphasized that individuals or groups intent on perpetuating violence or undermining peaceful coexistence should be identified and reported.
He reaffirmed his resolve, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to decisively address such threats and ensure that peace and security are restored and sustained in Plateau State. In addition, the President approved the sum of ₦2 billion as support for victims affected by the insecurity crisis in Plateau State. The meeting reflects the President’s commitment to inclusive dialogue, peacebuilding, and collaborative problem-solving in addressing security challenges and strengthening unity in Plateau State and beyond. ABIODUN Essiet PhD Senior special assistant to the president on community engagement for the North Central region