Tinubu’s Secret Peace Mission Lands in Plateau — And Delivers Breakthrough in 48 Hours
By Passman Akpos
In a renewed push to end years of communal tensions in Plateau State, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last week dispatched his North Central Community Engagement aide, Dr Abiodun Essiet, on a two-day peace mission that has already recorded a swift conflict resolution between farmers and herders.
Essiet, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Community Engagement (North Central), arrived the state on Thursday and immediately began a series of consultations with Christian leaders, Fulani community heads, women’s groups, youth representatives, and traditional rulers. Her visit culminated in a town hall meeting in Jos, where delegates from multiple local government areas deliberated on strengthening grassroots peace structures and entrenching intercommunal coexistence.
Engagement with Christian Clerics
In Barkin Ladi, Dr Essiet paid a courtesy visit to Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, Chairman of the Regional Church Council (RCC). Their discussions centred on the role of faith-based leadership in building unity, promoting social development, and healing communal divides.Essiet also addressed a group of widows alongside Dachomo and delivered President Tinubu’s message of ethnic reconciliation and collective healing. Dachomo remains a prominent voice for Christian communities across the state.
Dialogue with Fulani Leaders
Still in Barkin Ladi, Essiet met with Fulani Miyetti Allah leaders, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to dialogue between pastoralist and farming communities. The meeting aimed at deepening trust and strengthening communication channels that can prevent isolated disagreements from escalating into wider conflicts.
Workshops and Closed-Door Peace Talks
Later in Jos, she hosted a workshop focused on establishing Community Peace Structures across all 17 Local Government Areas.She also held closed-door negotiations with the Irigwe community, Miyetti Allah representatives, and the Youth Council of Bassa LGA. The deliberations examined how an existing 17-member peace committee can be further empowered to drive dialogue, reconciliation, and coexistence between groups that have experienced repeated clashes.
Dr Essiet reiterated President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to inclusive governance and long-term stability, stressing that the community-based peace framework remains central to restoring unity across the North Central region.
Quick Win: Farmer–Herder Dispute Resolved
A notable early success emerged during the visit. A simmering conflict between Agha Farm owner, David Toma, in Gyel District of Jos South, and a group of herdsmen was resolved after Toma seized two cows that had allegedly destroyed his crops.
On November 15, the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) in Bassa LGA, Alhaji Isah Yau, paid ₦500,000 compensation to Toma. The farmer then released the cows, and both parties signed an undertaking to maintain peace—an outcome hailed by officials as a model for local conflict resolution.
The mission, according to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, reflects President Tinubu’s determination to rebuild trust among Plateau’s diverse communities and ensure sustainable peace.
