Tinubu sends envoy to plateau amid rising communal tensions

President Bola Tinubu has stepped up efforts to quell recurring communal violence in Plateau State by dispatching Dr Abiodun Essiet, his Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement for the North Central Zone, to the troubled region.

According to a statement by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, Essiet spent two days in Plateau State last week, meeting with Christian leaders, Fulani herders, traditional rulers, youths, and women’s groups in a series of peace-building activities.

In Barkin Ladi, Essiet paid a courtesy call on Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, Chairman of the Regional Church Council, where discussions centred on the role of faith leaders in fostering unity and healing. She also addressed a group of widows, delivering President Tinubu’s message of reconciliation and coexistence.

Essiet further met with community leaders from the Fulani Miyetti Allah association, highlighting the importance of dialogue between pastoral and farming communities. During a town hall in Jos, delegates from various local government areas engaged in discussions aimed at strengthening peace structures and promoting harmony across ethnic divides.

The peace initiative also yielded swift results. A dispute involving the destruction of farmland and the seizure of cows by David Toma in Jos South was resolved, with the Miyetti Allah Chairman of Bassa LGA, Alhaji Isah Yau, compensating Toma with N500,000. Both sides agreed to maintain peace.

“President Tinubu is fully committed to lasting peace and inclusive governance,” Essiet assured, adding that the community-based peace structures are vital for rebuilding trust at the grassroots level.