President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has deployed an emissary, Dr. Abiodun Essiet, to Plateau State as part of renewed efforts to address recurring communal conflicts, farmer-herder disputes, and to promote intercommunal harmony across the state.
The development was disclosed in a Sunday statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Essiet, who serves as the Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement for the North Central Zone, arrived in Plateau on Thursday and spent two days meeting with key stakeholders. During her visit, she held engagements with Christian clerics and leaders of the Fulani Miyetti Allah community as part of a broad outreach aimed at strengthening dialogue and rebuilding trust.
The statement noted that the peace push culminated in a town hall meeting in Jos, where delegates from various local government areas, including traditional rulers, women’s groups, and youth leaders, deliberated on enhancing community-based peace structures and promoting peaceful coexistence among the state’s diverse ethnic groups.
“Essiet paid a courtesy visit to Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, Chairman of the Regional Church Council (RCC), in Barkin Ladi, where discussions centred on faith-based leadership and its role in promoting peace, unity, and social development,” Onanuga stated.
During the visit, Essiet addressed widows alongside Dachomo, delivering President Tinubu’s message of ethnic reconciliation. Dachomo is known as one of the strongest voices representing Plateau’s Christian communities.
Essiet also met with Fulani leaders in Barkin Ladi, where she emphasized dialogue and cooperation between pastoral and farming populations, reinforcing the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive engagement.
She later led a workshop in Jos focused on establishing a community peace structure across all 17 local government areas. This was followed by a closed-door meeting involving the Irigwe community, the Miyetti Allah group, and representatives from the Bassa Youth Council. According to the statement, discussions centered on maintaining peace and how the existing 17-member committee can foster reconciliation and sustained coexistence between the groups.
Dr. Essiet reaffirmed President Tinubu’s dedication to peacebuilding and inclusive governance, stressing that community-based structures remain crucial to nurturing grassroots unity and ensuring long-term stability across the North Central region.
A notable early achievement was the resolution of a dispute involving David Toma, owner of Agha Farm in the Gyel district of Jos South, and a group of herdsmen. After Toma seized two cows over the destruction of his farm, the MACBAN Chairman of Bassa LGA, Alhaji Isah Yau, paid a compensation of N500,000 on November 15. The payment led to the release of the cows, with all parties signing an undertaking to uphold peace.
What You Should Know
President Tinubu’s administration is intensifying efforts to resolve long-standing communal and farmer-herder conflicts in Plateau State through direct engagement and grassroots dialogue.
By deploying Dr. Abiodun Essiet and establishing community peace frameworks across all 17 local government areas, the government aims to institutionalize reconciliation and rebuild trust among conflicting groups.
The swift settlement of the recent farm–herder dispute shows early signs of progress in the wider peace initiative.
