Tinubu’s Plateau Peace Envoy to Strengthen Intercommunal Dialogue

The Presidency said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had dispatched a peace envoy to Plateau State as part of renewed efforts to stabilise troubled communities and deepen interethnic harmony.

According to a State House statement issued on Sunday, the President sent Dr. Abiodun Essiet, his Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement for the North Central Zone, to the state on Thursday.

Officials reported that Essiet spent two days in Plateau, where she engaged Christian religious leaders, Fulani Miyetti Allah representatives, traditional rulers and community stakeholders. Her meetings were said to have culminated in a town hall session in Jos, attended by delegates from several local government areas, youth and women groups, and other community figures.

Discussions during the session reportedly focused on reinforcing community-based peace structures and promoting coexistence.

The statement explained that Essiet paid a courtesy visit to Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, Chairman of the Regional Church Council (RCC) in Barkin Ladi.

She was reported to have discussed with him the importance of faith-based leadership in driving unity, peace and social development.

Essiet also met some widows during the visit, where she conveyed President Tinubu’s message encouraging ethnic reconciliation.

Dachomo was described as one of the most prominent Christian voices in the state. She was also said to have held talks with Fulani leaders in Barkin Ladi as part of an effort to strengthen dialogue between pastoral and farming communities.

The Presidency noted that this reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive engagement across ethnic lines.

Later that day, Essiet reportedly conducted a workshop in Jos on establishing community peace structures for all 17 Local Government Areas of Plateau State. She also held a closed-door meeting with the Irigwe community, Miyetti Allah representatives and members of the Bassa LGA Youth Council, focusing on sustaining peace and reinforcing the work of a 17-member peace committee aimed at improving dialogue and reconciliation between the groups.

According to the statement, Essiet emphasised President Tinubu’s “unwavering commitment” to peace-building and inclusive governance, saying the Community-Based Peace Structure remained central to achieving grassroots cohesion and long-term stability across the North Central region.

The Presidency said early gains from the peace mission included the resolution of a dispute between David Toma, owner of Agha Farm in Gyel district of Jos South, and a group of herdsmen.

The conflict arose after Toma seized two cows for damaging his farmland. On November 15, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) Chairman of Bassa LGA, Alhaji Isah Yau, reportedly paid ₦500,000 in compensation to Toma, who then released the cows.

All parties were said to have signed an agreement committing to peace.

The statement was signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, and dated November 16, 2025.