News
Army chief visits Plateau, pledges lasting peace amid violent killings
Army chief Waidi Shaibu, on Thursday, led heads of security agencies to Plateau for an on-the-spot assessment of the security situation.
Army spokeswoman Appolonia Anele disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
Ms Anele said that the visit was part of renewed efforts to restore calm, strengthen operational coordination and entrench lasting peace in communities affected by recent security challenges across the state.
She said Mr Shaibu, upon arrival, was received by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, a development that underscored strong civil-military relations and a shared commitment to addressing emerging threats in Plateau.
According to her, Mr Shaibu later received a comprehensive operational briefing from the general officer commanding 3 Division, Folusho Oyinlola, on ongoing operations under the Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE in the state.
”The briefing highlighted proactive measures, joint operations and intelligence-driven strategies being implemented by the military and other security agencies to contain threats, protect lives and stabilise affected communities,” she said.
Mr Shaibu commended troops and other security personnel for their resilience, professionalism and sacrifices in ensuring the safety of residents, urging them to sustain the momentum in ongoing operations.
He restated the need for enhanced synergy among security agencies, noting that coordinated efforts remained critical to tackling the complex security challenges confronting parts of Plateau and neighbouring areas.
Mr Shaibu also engaged community leaders and residents, reassuring them of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to safeguarding all law-abiding residents and restoring normalcy in areas affected by recent disturbances.
He urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding, and to continue cooperating with security agencies by sharing credible information to support ongoing operations and investigations.
Mr Shaibu further appealed to residents to comply with the curfew imposed in affected areas, stressing that the measure was necessary to restore order and guarantee public safety. He reaffirmed the army’s commitment to working closely with sister security agencies, the Plateau government and other stakeholders to address security challenges and ensure sustainable peace in the state.
”The ongoing operations reflected a broader strategy to strengthen community resilience, enhance intelligence gathering and create a secure environment for socio-economic activities to thrive,” he stated.
(NAN)
Events
Nigeria’s Christian Leaders to Unite in Abuja for First Lausanne Congress in Over 10 Years (Register Now)
The Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions has announced plans to convene about 5,000 church leaders, missionaries, theological educators, young Christian leaders and marketplace professionals at the first national Lausanne gathering in Nigeria in more than a decade.
The Lausanne Nigeria Congress 2026 is scheduled to hold from October 27 to 30 at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, under the theme, “Let the Church Declare and Display Christ Together.”
According to the organisers, registration for the four-day congress is now open, with delegates expected from major Christian denominations and all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
The congress represents Nigeria’s national expression of the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelisation, which brought together more than 5,000 Christian leaders from over 200 countries in Incheon, South Korea, in September 2024.
The organisers said the Abuja gathering would provide a platform for church leaders and mission practitioners to strengthen collaboration and develop strategies for advancing Christian mission in Nigeria and beyond.
The four-day programme will feature plenary teaching, issue network deliberations, intercessory prayer, intergenerational dialogue and a public commissioning.
Discussions will focus on a range of issues, including frontier missions and unreached peoples, theological education, faith in the public square, business as mission, media and digital innovation, diaspora and migration, as well as student and youth ministry.
Speaking on the significance of the congress, National Chairman of Lausanne Nigeria and General Secretary of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Dr. Yunusa Sabo Nmadu Jnr, described Nigeria as both a mission field and an emerging mission force.
“Nigeria is no longer merely a mission field. She is a mission force. More than fifteen thousand Nigerian missionaries are already serving in over fifty countries, while within our own borders more than forty peoples still wait for the gospel,” he said.
Nmadu stressed that the congress was designed to bring together the wider Nigerian Church rather than a select group of Christian leaders.
“This Congress is not for a select few. It is for the whole Church, the whole gospel, the whole world,” he added.
Also speaking, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions, Most Rev. Dr. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, called for greater unity and collaboration among Christian denominations, mission agencies and generations of leaders.
“For too long we have laboured in parallel. Denominations building alone. Agencies running alone. Generations praying alone. This is our God-given moment to come together as one body, one gospel and one mission force for the nations,” Ndukuba said.
The Lausanne Movement traces its roots to the 1974 International Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland, convened by renowned evangelist Billy Graham.
The gathering brought together about 2,400 Christian leaders from 150 nations and resulted in the Lausanne Covenant, which was drafted under the chairmanship of British theologian and pastor John R. W. Stott.
The organisers said the partnership between Graham and Stott helped shape the global mission movement for decades, with subsequent milestones including the Manila Manifesto of 1989, the Cape Town Commitment of 2010 and the Seoul Statement of 2024.
The Lausanne Nigeria Congress follows a series of activities aimed at strengthening collaboration among Nigerian church, mission and marketplace leaders.
In March 2026, Lausanne Nigeria hosted the Global Executive Director of the Lausanne Movement, Dr. Michael Oh, in Abuja for a Global Mission Conversation focused on strategic collaboration for global impact.
The October congress is expected to build on that engagement by bringing the conversation to a wider national platform.
Registration Opens
Delegate registration for the congress is currently open and will close on September 30, 2026.
Nigerian delegates are required to pay ₦50,000, while international delegates will pay US$200.
The organisers said group registration is available for denominations, mission agencies, seminaries and professional fellowships sending multiple delegates.
They also announced that sponsorship opportunities are available to support participation by frontier missionaries, younger leaders and delegates from under-resourced regions.
Institutions interested in deeper involvement can also apply to serve as Hosting Organisations for the congress.
Further information and registration details are available through the Lausanne Nigeria platform.
The Lausanne Nigeria Christian Missions said it is the national expression of the global Lausanne Movement in Nigeria and operates as a registered Incorporated Trustee based in Abuja.
Its Board of Trustees is chaired by Most Rev. Dr. Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, while Rev. Dr. Yunusa Sabo Nmadu Jnr chairs the National Leadership. Dr. Joshua Utele chairs the Central Planning Committee for the 2026 congress.
The global Lausanne Movement is a fellowship of Christian leaders committed to advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ in every nation and sphere of society. It is led by Global Executive Director, Dr. Michael Oh.
For Enquiry call: +234 803 960 8804 or +234 803 973 2643.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has declared the activities of any group operating under the name or guise of Hisbah illegal in Plateau State and ordered security agencies to move against those involved.
The governor’s directive followed reports of the emergence of a group in parts of Jos North Local Government Area, where members were allegedly carrying out activities in the name of Hisbah.
Mutfwang said the group had no legal authority to enforce rules or exercise powers over residents in the state.
He also directed security agencies to investigate the group, identify its members and arrest anyone found to have violated the law.
The governor’s position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere.
According to the statement, the administration took the decision after receiving reports of alleged intimidation, harassment, extortion and the imposition of rules on residents by persons operating under the Hisbah name.
Mutfwang warned those involved to stop immediately or face prosecution under Nigerian law.
The governor made it clear that Plateau State would not allow any organisation to create a parallel authority or act as a substitute for government agencies.
“Government will not permit the emergence of any parallel authority, self-appointed enforcement body or group seeking to impose rules, restrictions or sanctions on citizens.
“No individual or group has the authority to appoint itself the government of Plateau,” he said.
He stressed that law enforcement remained the responsibility of government institutions established under the Constitution and other applicable laws.
The governor therefore instructed the security agencies to step up intelligence gathering in the affected areas.
They are expected to establish the identity of those behind the reported activities and determine the extent of their operations.
Mutfwang also ordered that anyone found to be promoting, funding, assisting or supporting the alleged unlawful activities should be investigated.
Where evidence of wrongdoing is established, such persons are to be arrested and prosecuted.
The governor’s directive comes amid concerns over the activities of informal groups seeking to enforce religious or social rules outside the recognised security and legal structures.
Hisbah organisations operate in a number of northern states, including Kano, Katsina and Sokoto, although their legal frameworks and areas of operation differ from one state to another.
Mutfwang, however, maintained that the situation in Plateau was different because the group in question had not been authorised by the state government to perform any enforcement function.
He said no organisation could simply assume powers that had not been granted to it by law.
The governor further directed security agencies to ensure that residents in Jos North and other affected areas were protected from threats, harassment and unlawful demands.
He said residents must be allowed to go about their normal activities without interference from individuals claiming authority they do not possess.
Mutfwang also moved to prevent the issue from being interpreted as a religious confrontation.
He said the decision was based on the need to maintain law and order and was not aimed at any particular religion, ethnic group or community.
“Plateau remains home to people of diverse faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds. Every Plateau resident is entitled to equal protection under the law,” he said.
The governor said the government was concerned about conduct and lawful authority rather than the religious identity of the people involved.
He maintained that every resident had the right to worship freely, work, operate a legitimate business and live without intimidation.
“The issue before the Government is solely one of lawful conduct and legitimate authority. Every resident of Plateau State has the right to live, worship, work, conduct lawful business and go about their daily activities without intimidation or interference from any self-appointed authority,” he said.
Mutfwang also thanked residents who alerted government authorities to the reported activities.
He said the government would continue to treat credible security reports seriously and respond where necessary to protect residents.
The governor reiterated that the protection of lives, rights and lawful freedoms remained one of the primary responsibilities of his administration.
He also linked the latest directive to the need to preserve peaceful coexistence in Plateau, a state with a population made up of people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds.
The governor said the government would continue to uphold the rule of law and ensure that residents were treated equally.
In another development, the Plateau State Government had in May declared that the state was “at war with terrorists and enemies of the state” following a series of deadly attacks and announced tougher security measures across the state.
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