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2023 International Day of Peace: Plateau Governor Urges Peace for Sustainable Growth and Development
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has urged the people of the state to embrace peace as the catalyst for sustainable growth and development. He conveyed this message on the occasion of the International Day of Peace 2023, which took place at the Crispan Hotel Jos.
The event was organized by the Plateau Peace Media Network in collaboration with the Plateau Peace Practitioners Network, with support from Mercy Corps and USAID.
Represented by the Commissioner of Information and Communication, Musa Ashoms, Governor Mutfwang emphasized the critical role of peace in fostering progress, stating, “The message is centered on peace because, without peace, a lot of things cannot be achieved. If you have rocket science ideas and the environment is not peaceful and its ambience is not tranquil, then naturally you achieve little or nothing.”
He expressed gratitude to the organizers, particularly the United Nations, for spearheading the International Day of Peace, and called upon all citizens of the state to prioritize peaceful coexistence, making Plateau State a fertile ground for development.
The Governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, who also attended the event, underscored the significance of peace for development. He remarked, “Peace is a prerequisite for development; all stakeholders must champion the cause of peace to make Plateau State, and by extension Nigeria, a safe haven for all.”
In his remarks, Mathew Tegha, the coordinator of the Plateau Peace Media Network (PPMN), highlighted the role of media in promoting peace and positive change. He stressed the importance of active engagement and action in maintaining peace, saying, “Today, let us confront these challenges head-on, but let us also seize the opportunities they present. Through our discussions and shared experiences, we can identify prospects for peace and innovative solutions to the challenges we face.”
Also hammering on the sub-theme of the day “Actions for Peace: The prospects and challenges for addressing the multidimensional crises in Plateau State,” he said it “acknowledges the complex landscape within our beloved Plateau State and underscores the urgency of addressing the multifaceted challenges that have impacted our communities negatively.”
Honorable OJ Afwanks, secretary of the Plateau Peace Practitioners Network (PPPN), acknowledged the longstanding conflict in the state since 2001. He attributed the continuing escalation of conflicts in the state to the lack of competency among various peace practitioners, both state and non-state actors.
The International Day of Peace 2023, championed by the Plateau Peace Media Network in collaboration with the Plateau Peace Practitioners Network, focused on the sub-theme: “Actions for Peace: The Prospects and Challenges for Addressing the Multidimensional Crises in Plateau State.”
Taiye Lucas of Mercy Corps encouraged citizens to commit to actions that would transform their desire for peace into tangible realities, making the International Day of Peace a celebration for all. Participants from various groups in the state shared their experiences and engaged in discussions on ways to promote peace.
The commemoration of the day which started with a peace walk, went on to climax with a town hall with notable stakeholders recommendations and resolutions reached.
A member of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, National Executive Committee, Aliyu Gantsa, has rejected his 12-month suspension by the party's leadership in Buji Local Government Area of Jigawa State, describing the decision as unconstitutional and invalid.
Speaking in reaction to the development, Gantsa insisted that the ward executives lacked the constitutional authority to suspend him from the party.
Gantsa accused the Jigawa State leadership of the party of orchestrating the suspension in an attempt to weaken his political influence within the ADC.
"I am a member of the National Executive Committee of the ADC. Ward executives have no constitutional grounds or authority to suspend me. Their decision violates the party's constitution and is therefore invalid," he said.
He maintained that he remained a legitimate and active member of the ADC despite the suspension announced by the party's executives at ward level.
Gantsa also vowed to challenge the decision through the appropriate channels provided by the party's constitution.
DAILY POST reports that the ADC leadership in Buji Local Government Area had announced Gantsa's suspension for 12 months over alleged anti-party activities.
According to the statement, the suspension took effect on October 19, 2026, and would last until October 19, 2027.
The party accused Gantsa of violating its rules, creating divisions among members and openly supporting a candidate who lost the party's primary election.
Amnesty International has condemned the arrest, detention and four-year prison sentence handed to 23-year-old journalist Farida Isiak in Kaduna State, describing the case as vindictive and an attempt to silence press freedom.
The organisation said the journalist’s arrest and subsequent sentencing were linked to her attempt to expose alleged police misconduct involving her parents.
Isiak, a reporter with Nagarta Radio in Kaduna, was reportedly arrested at about 10pm on Monday, October 20, by police officers under the command of the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaban Jos, Usman Adamu.
According to Amnesty International, the incident began with a disagreement between Isiak’s mother and a neighbour over a ₦100 change during a charcoal sale.
The organisation alleged that police officers initially arrested her mother and later detained her father when he went to seek her release, using their detention to compel the journalist to report to the police station.
When Isiak arrived, officers allegedly accused her of defamation over a Facebook post criticising their treatment of her parents.
Amnesty International said she deleted the post and apologised in an attempt to secure her parents’ release, but the police allegedly continued to detain her before taking her to a Sharia Court in Kawo.
The court subsequently sentenced her to four years in prison or a fine of ₦1.75 million on a defamation charge.
Describing the proceedings as a sham trial, Amnesty International said the court failed to address the alleged police misconduct that triggered the incident.
“The arrest, detention, and hasty sentencing of Farida Isiak are a flagrant abuse of power by the police and weaponisation of the judicial system to silence free speech and intimidate journalists,” the organisation said.
It added that detaining the journalist’s parents to compel her to surrender to the police was an unlawful tactic that violated the rule of law.
“Demanding accountability for police actions is a constitutional right,” Amnesty International said.
The human rights organisation called on the Kaduna State Police Command and Nigerian judicial authorities to secure Isiak’s immediate release, drop the charges against her and cancel the fine imposed by the court.
It also urged the Nigeria Police Force to launch a full and independent investigation into the conduct of the officers involved in the alleged unlawful detention of the journalist’s family.
Amnesty International further called on Nigerian authorities to stop using defamation charges and the judicial system to harass journalists and restrict press freedom.
The organisation warned that the case raises concerns about the protection of freedom of expression and the ability of journalists to hold public institutions accountable without fear of intimidation or retaliation.
Amnesty condemns four-year jail sentence for Kaduna journalist Farida Isiak
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