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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged leaders and stakeholders in Plateau State to return home with renewed commitment to peace and work towards ending the recurring cycle of violence and killings in the state.
The President gave the charge on Tuesday during an interactive session with a 32-member Plateau State delegation at the State House in Abuja, where he also approved N2 billion in relief support for victims of the March 29 attack in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area.
President Tinubu challenged the delegation, led by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, to revisit past government White Papers on security crises in Plateau and propose practical resolutions that could be implemented to achieve lasting peace.
During the nearly three-hour meeting, participants, including youth representatives, identified indigeneship, religion, ethnicity, and farmer-herder clashes as the major drivers of conflict in the state. They pledged to support efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability.
The President stressed that tolerance and peaceful coexistence must become the foundation for resolving the long-standing tensions.
He said leaders at all levels must first examine themselves and reject attempts by individuals or groups to recruit people to provoke violence, tribal conflicts, and killings.
According to him, Plateau State has historically been known for peace and hospitality, and its leaders must work together to restore that reputation by promoting fairness, justice, and inclusion.
President Tinubu directed the leaders to convene among themselves, review previous recommendations captured in government gazettes, and agree on practical steps for implementation.
He assured them that any difficult issues requiring federal intervention should be brought to his attention with clear and workable solutions.
The President also called on the Plateau State Government to identify and expose those instigating violence so they could face the full weight of the law.
He noted that ending the violence was necessary to stop the growing number of widows, widowers, and orphans caused by recurring attacks, while reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to infrastructure development in the state.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Mohammed Dorro, announced during the session that the President had approved N2 billion as immediate relief assistance for victims of the March 29 attack in Angwan Rukuba.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang thanked President Tinubu for sustaining efforts to find lasting solutions to the state’s security challenges and described the meeting as a major step towards unity.
He noted that it was the first time all former governors of Plateau State gathered in one room for such a discussion, describing it as evidence of a renewed spirit of togetherness among the state’s leaders.
Mutfwang said Plateau leaders were determined to rise above religious and ethnic divisions, rebuild trust, and recover the economic and social losses caused by decades of conflict.
He pledged the state’s support for President Tinubu’s broader national agenda, saying Plateau would stand firmly with the administration in its efforts to rebuild Nigeria.
Also speaking, the Gbong Gwom Jos, HRM Da Jacob Gyang Buba, praised the President for his commitment to restoring peace and appealed for more troops to be deployed to Plateau as well as the installation of CCTV surveillance systems.
The royal father also advocated for the creation of state police, saying it would significantly improve security management across the country.
He further requested federal support for the return of internally displaced persons to their ancestral homes, especially with the rainy season approaching.
Christian and Muslim youth representatives assured the President of their willingness to work together for peace and pledged support for the governor’s peace-building efforts.
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, also stressed the importance of enforcing the rule of law and tackling drug abuse, which he said was contributing significantly to insecurity in the state.
Several other stakeholders at the meeting agreed that without sincerity and genuine commitment from leaders, lasting peace in Plateau would remain difficult to achieve.
