News

Plateau Govt, HD Reaffirm Commitment to Lasting Peace, Call for Border Demarcation to Curb Cross-Border Conflicts

Published

11 months ago

October 8, 2025

vicky

HD, Plateau Govt , Cross Border Conflicts

The Plateau State Government and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) have renewed their joint commitment to fostering sustainable peace and stability across the state, stressing the urgent need for clear border demarcation to curb recurring cross-border conflicts.

This was the key highlight of the Multi-Agency and Multi-Sectoral Roundtable with State and Non-State Actors Towards a Sustainable Peace Architecture in Plateau State, held on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at Novel Suites, Rayfield, Jos. Themed “Unity in Diversity for Peaceful Coexistence in Plateau State,” the dialogue brought together stakeholders from government institutions, civil society, traditional councils, and peacebuilding organizations.

Representing Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Deputy Governor Her Excellency Ngo Josephine Piyo commended HD for its continued partnership in promoting harmony among Plateau’s diverse communities.

“This meeting is timely, especially at a period when our state continues to grapple with security challenges that have affected our growth and unity,” she said. “The Plateau State Government remains committed to restoring lasting peace so that our people can live without fear and sleep in safety.”

Piyo urged relevant federal agencies to take swift action in clearly defining Plateau’s borders with neighboring states, warning that the current porous boundaries have worsened insecurity and human trafficking.
“The porous nature of our borders not only poses security challenges but also makes our children vulnerable to trafficking. We therefore call on relevant federal agencies to define and mark our borders to help mitigate cross-border conflicts,” she added.

In his remarks, Dr. Chris Agboha, Country Manager of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) Nigeria, noted the connection between weak border control and the rise of violent crimes such as cattle rustling, land grabbing, kidnapping, and illegal mining.

“Borders are one of the primary indicators of a state’s control over its territory. When they cease to function effectively, different forms of criminality thrive, putting communities at risk,” Agboha said, while calling for collaborative approaches to managing diversity and fostering inclusivity as pathways to peace.

Professor Chris Kwaja, Special Envoy on Peace and Security to the Plateau State Government, warned that misinformation, hate speech, and social media manipulation continue to inflame tensions, urging stronger intergovernmental cooperation and deeper community engagement.

Similarly, the Director General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, Dr. Julie Sanda (represented by Nantip Joseph), reaffirmed the agency’s collaboration with HD and other partners, noting that the initiative aligns with efforts to strengthen Plateau’s peace architecture.

Other contributors, including Sam Godongs, National Expert Adviser to HD Nigeria, commended the progress made through local and zonal peace structures, emphasizing their role in sustaining peacebuilding even beyond donor interventions.

The two-day roundtable will continue to examine cross-border conflicts, diversity management, and inclusive governance, ending with a unified call for synergy among all stakeholders to build a resilient, united, and peaceful Plateau.

Related Topics:Cross-Border Conflicts HD Plateau Govt

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News

Gunmen kill two vigilantes, injure one in Plateau

Published

1 hour ago

September 16, 2026

Preport

Gunmen on Tuesday attacked vigilantes on duty in Tudun-Mazat village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, killing two and injuring another.

Kefas Mallai, a youth leader and the chairman of the Community Peace Observers in Bokkos told Peoples Gazette on Wednesday that the gunmen attacked the security men at about 10:00 p.m.

“At about 10:00 p.m. yesterday, some terrorists attacked the local vigilante on duty at Tudun-Mazat village also known as NTV of Barkin Ladi LGA, Plateau State leading to the death of two local vigilantes and one injured”, he told The Gazette.

According to him, the attacked village is along Bokkos road in the state.

Alfred Alabo, the state police spokesperson, was not available for comment. Text and WhatsApp messages sent to him remained unanswered as of press time.

On August 18, The Gazette reported that gunmen invaded Bin-Per community in Kombum district of Mangu council and killed 23 persons including women and children.

Similarly on June 16, diver miners were killed at a mining site in Gero village, Gyel district of Jos South local council of the state.

Business

PenCom Extends Pension Verification Deadline for Civil Servants to December 2026

Published

1 hour ago

September 16, 2026

Preport

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has extended the deadline for the ongoing mandatory One-Time Online Verification and Enrolment Exercise for employees of treasury-funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who are entitled to accrued pension rights.

The exercise, which started in February 2026 and was initially scheduled to end on 31 July 2026, has now been extended to 31 December 2026. The extension follows several requests from MDAs seeking additional time for employees to participate in the online enrolment process.

The extension provides all eligible employees with another opportunity to complete the exercise and ensure that their accrued pension rights are accurately determined ahead of retirement.

Deadline Extension Due to Low Participation

Low participation in the exercise has necessitated the timeline extension. As at July 2026, MDAs had uploaded 62,320 records of active employees and retirees, while only 31,099 employees had successfully completed the enrolment process.These figures fall short of an estimated 150,000 active Federal Government employees entitled to accrued pension rights.

PenCom is therefore urging all eligible employees who are yet to enrol, as well as those who have started but not completed the process, to use the additional time provided by the extension to complete their enrolment.

Exercise Addresses Legacy Pension Liabilities

The initiative is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to settle pension liabilities carried over from the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), which existed before the introduction of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in 2004.

Under Section 15(1) of the Pension Reform Act 2014 (PRA 2014), employees who transited to the CPS are entitled to accrued pension rights, beingbenefits earned under the DBS.

These accrued rights comprise pension and gratuity benefits earned by eligible employees from their date of first appointment up to 30 June 2004. Their determination is based on an actuarial valuation process.

In a circular issued on 27 April 2026, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation had directed all treasury-funded MDAs to support the exercise and ensure that eligible employees complete the One-time Enrolment as required by PenCom. This is essential for determining the Federal Government’s outstanding pension liabilities and making adequate budgetary provisions for their settlement.

Digital Transformation Drives New Approach

The One-Time enrolment exercise is fully digital and is conducted through PenCom’s Contributions and Bond Redemption Application (COBRA).

COBRA is a secure platform designed to facilitate data capture, validation and processing.

Benefits of Early Enrolment

Early completion facilitates the determination of accrued pension rights and enables the necessary funding to be secured from the Federal Government. Subsequently, the amounts would be credited to the employees’ Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) well ahead of retirement, thereby earning investment returns and boosting retirement benefits.

MDAs, Pension Desk Officers and PFAs Have Key Roles

MDAs are required to upload details of eligible employees on the COBRA platform, after which affected employees are expected to visit their respective Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) with the required documents to complete the enrolment process.

Pension Desk Officers (PDOs), who have been trained by PenCom, coordinate the exercise within their organisations and guide employees through the process.

PenCom continues to collaborate with MDAs, PFAs and other stakeholders to improve awareness, facilitate participation and ensure that eligible employees are properly captured.

PenCom Urges Eligible Employees to Act

While the extension to 31 December 2026 provides additional time, PenCom has urged eligible employees and their respective MDAs not to delay completion of the process. All active employees of Federal Government Treasury-funded MDAs who were in service as at 30 June 2004 are covered by the accrued pension rights provisions.

PenCom therefore calls on all eligible employees and Treasury-funded MDAs to take full advantage of the extension and complete the enrolment exercise before the new deadline.

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