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Tag: Dr. Abiodun Essiet

  • Presidency reaffirms commitment to peace

    Presidency reaffirms commitment to peace

    …flags off community-based peace structures in Plateau state

    The Presidency has reaffirmed its commitment to deepening peace and rebuilding trust among communities across the country, describing grassroots-led initiatives as the foundation for lasting stability and development in the North Central region.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Dr. Abiodun Essiet, said the community-based peace structure initiative marks a decisive step in Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen social cohesion, promote inclusive development, and advance sustainable peace.

    Essiet spoke in Jos on Thursday during the inauguration of Community-Based Peace Structures in Jos, Plateau State, under the Presidential Community Engagement Peace Initiative (PCEPI).

    The event brought together local government chairmen, traditional rulers, farmers, herders, women, and youth from the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Plateau State, towards building peace from the grassroots and restoring harmony across communities.

    The programme is being implemented in partnership with the International Communities Organisation (ICO), a global NGO focused on human rights and community development, under the project titled ‘Promoting Community Peace and Strengthening Social Cohesion in North Central Nigeria’.

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    According to her, the renewed peace drive underscores President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to placing communities at the centre of peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

    “The core purpose of this initiative is to complement the efforts of our security agencies and the Plateau State Peace Building Agency to ensure sustainability and translate our collective efforts into measurable change,” she said.

    The President’s aide explained that the Presidency remains deeply concerned about the recurring conflicts in Plateau State, many of which stem from misunderstanding, misinformation, and manipulation.

    “Earlier this week, I briefed President Tinubu on the current security situation in the North Central. The President conveyed his personal commitment to ensuring that lasting peace returns not only to Plateau but to every part of Nigeria,” she stated.

    She further highlighted that one of the key strategies toward achieving this goal is the Federal Government’s establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development, tasked with implementing ranching systems as a sustainable solution to farmers-herders conflicts.

    “The ranching model will be implemented in a manner acceptable to communities, while security agencies intensify efforts to maintain peace and hold perpetrators accountable,” she assured.

    Essiet urged communities to strengthen their Early Warning and Early Response systems to prevent small disputes from escalating into full-blown crises.

    “Peacebuilding begins with truth, fairness, and mutual respect. We must not allow our narratives to stereotype or marginalize any group. Criminality is criminality, regardless of who commits it,” she said.

    During her three-day engagement in Plateau, the presidential aide will hold consultations with community leaders, traditional rulers, youth, and women groups to chart practical pathways for enduring peace.

    She also commended the Plateau State Government for its commitment to maintaining peace and stability, invoking the African philosophy of Ubuntu, “I am because you are” as a reminder that our identity, our peace, and our prosperity are deeply connected.”

    “Let us move forward not as adversaries, but as partners in peace. Together, we can build a stronger, more united Plateau State and a more peaceful Nigeria,” stressed.

    In her remarks, Plateau State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Josephine Piyo, described the initiative as timely and strategic, urging participants to embrace it with seriousness.

    “Peace is the foundation of development; without peace, communities cannot thrive,” she said, adding that the state government remains resolute in ensuring that every Plateau citizen can live without fear.

    The Deputy Governor noted that the government continues to work with security agencies, traditional institutions, religious bodies, and community leaders to strengthen dialogue and address the root causes of conflict.

    The Director General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, Dr. Julie Sanda, commended the Federal Government for its proactive intervention, emphasizing that peacebuilding is a multi-stakeholder process.

    “No single level of government or institution can do it alone. This initiative will further strengthen the ongoing efforts of both the federal and state governments in peacebuilding,” she said.

    Similarly, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Euphraim Usman, lauded the Presidency for spearheading the initiative, noting that it would deepen understanding and unity among Plateau citizens, saying, “Trust has been lost, and this is a process of rebuilding that trust.

    “It means a lot and will translate into meaningful progress at the end of the day”.

  • Dialogue, not guns, can solve 70% of north-central’s insecurity — Presidential aide

    Dialogue, not guns, can solve 70% of north-central’s insecurity — Presidential aide

    In a region where the sound of gunfire has long defined security responses, the Presidency is betting on dialogue, reconciliation, and community engagement to tame the crises.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-Central), Dr. Abiodun Essiet, on Tuesday declared that nearly 70 percent of insecurity in the region can be solved without bullets.

    “From our analysis, nearly 70 percent of the security challenges in the North-Central can be addressed through dialogue, reconciliation, intelligence sharing, and community engagement, rather than through force alone,” Essiet said at a stakeholder capacity-building training at the State House, Abuja.

    She argued that the path to lasting peace lies not just in more boots on the ground but in communities talking to themselves, tackling disputes before they flare, and taking ownership of their peace.

    “Once we succeed in resolving internal communal conflicts and addressing the root causes of tension, we will already be halfway to overcoming insecurity in the North-Central,” she stressed.

    The initiative is anchored on the Presidential Community Engagement Peace Initiative (PCEPI), launched in Jos in June, which aims to build peace structures across all 110 local government areas in the region.

    Essiet said the structures will go beyond paper.

    “They will be active platforms… focusing on gathering and sharing intelligence, facilitating continuous dialogue, and helping us identify underlying issues and root causes of conflict”, she said.

    The project, she disclosed, is being executed in partnership with the International Communities Organisation (ICO), under the framework of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations.

    At the training, participants mapped flashpoints and examined the dynamics of conflict. Forests and porous borders quickly emerged as recurring themes.

    Ambassador Joshua Osatimehin Wole, Commandant-General of the Nigerian Forest Security Service, warned that unless Nigeria takes control of its 1,129 forest reserves — 174 of which are in the North-Central — bandits, mercenaries, and criminal gangs will continue to exploit them.

    “Three states border international frontiers — Niger, Kwara and Benue — and they are the epicentres of insecurity. There should be inter-agency cooperation and effective control of our forests,” he said, linking today’s crisis to mercenary flows in the Sahel after the fall of Gaddafi.

    For Dr. Kole Shettima of the MacArthur Foundation, the challenge goes deeper than hardware.

    “Unless there is peace, you cannot do what you want to do. Peace is essential and paramount,” he reminded participants, urging lawmakers to strengthen traditional institutions and relearn indigenous conflict-resolution methods.

    Project coordinator Jacob Alagbe added that the initiative aims to draw state-level actors into a joint platform for coexistence, with state-specific action plans to follow.

    As Essiet told the gathering, the ultimate goal is to build a grassroots-driven peace network that leaves no community behind.

    “This training is not just about acquiring knowledge; it is about forging partnerships, building trust, and developing strategies that will directly impact our communities,” she said.