Community leaders and stakeholders from the Middle Belt of Nigeria have appealed for cessation of hostilities in the region.
The decision was arrived at during the News Central Town Hall meeting in Lagos.
Speaking on the Mangu crisis, Manneseh Zugumtun, accused the herders of exacerbating the conflict and urged the government to take immediate steps to restore calm and order.
Zachary Gundu stressed that no community had the right to seize land or threaten the livelihoods of others, calling for respect and peaceful coexistence among all groups.
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Echoing the need for fairness, El-Buba, a Fulani indigene, insisted that perpetrators of violence must be punished regardless of their ethnic background, emphasising that justice should be blind to tribal affiliation.
The gathering ended with a strong appeal for decisive government intervention to address the underlying causes of conflict, ensure equal justice, and promote lasting peace across the diverse communities of the Middle Belt.
In his closing remarks, News Central’s Managing Director, Mr Kayode Akintemi, addressed the audience and expressed his heavy heart at the reports of violence and conflict that were shared.
He urged affected parties to continue striving for justice and peace despite the odds.
Akintemi also charged security agencies on the need to secure the lives and properties of citizens in the region, regardless of ethnicity and region.