Jos, Plateau State — July 31, 2025:
In a renewed effort to strengthen peaceful coexistence and promote freedom of religion or belief, RURCON—an implementing partner of the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA)—convened a strategic town hall meeting bringing together key stakeholders in Bassa Local Government Area.
Held at the NBTT Hall in Jos, the meeting carried the theme: “Faith Communities Transforming Conflict Situations in Bassa LGA in Synergy with Security Actors.” The event served as a platform for critical dialogue on community conflict resolution, security collaboration, and inclusive peacebuilding.
Participants included traditional leaders, local government officials, youth and women representatives, ward and village heads, as well as leaders of local vigilante groups.
Elizabeth Onu, RURCON’s Peacebuilding Officer, stressed the purpose of the gathering as a space for transparent dialogue and solution-building.
“Town hall meetings are essential platforms for transparency, engagement, and joint problem-solving. Today’s gathering aims to unearth the root causes of conflict, give voice to marginalized perspectives, and co-create actionable solutions that can be presented to authorities at all levels,” she said.
She further emphasized that understanding the deeper roots of conflict, rather than just its surface-level symptoms, is critical to achieving lasting peace in Bassa and beyond.
Representing Bassa LGA Chairman Hon. Sunday Riti, Mrs. Grace Goler, Director of Social Services, decried the alarming rise in youth drug abuse, which she linked to local insecurity. She also made a passionate appeal for unity among Bassa’s three major chiefdoms.
“Peace cannot thrive where disunity persists. We must deliberately bridge our divides—religious, ethnic, or political—to build a more stable and harmonious society,” Goler stated.
Addressing tensions between farmers and herders, she called for mutual respect and dialogue-driven conflict resolution.
“Allowing children to herd large cattle unsupervised leads to avoidable clashes. Responsibility must be shared on both sides,” she added.
On security, Hon. Riti, through his representative, urged for better coordination of vigilante operations, calling for proper profiling and community accountability instead of retaliatory responses to incidents.
Traditional leader Ardo Bako Abubakar of Dutsen Kura praised the dialogue’s depth, noting that it spotlighted often-overlooked factors such as political exclusion and the impact of fake news.
Acting District Head of Igbak, Adik Adankanla, echoed the sentiment, applauding JISRA and RURCON for their interventions.
“The efforts of JISRA and RURCON in Bassa have begun to yield results. We must now focus on youth development and strengthening farmer-herder understanding to reduce recurring violence,” he said.
Women’s leader Laraba Sunday of Dutsen Kura advocated for healing through forgiveness and community reflection.
“We must remember the peaceful past of our communities and work intentionally to return to that path,” she said.
Moderated by Umar Farouk Musa of JNI and Dan Maren of CORP-PIN, the panel discussions emphasized early warning systems, collective security responsibility, and the importance of local ownership in peacebuilding efforts.
In her closing remarks, Tearfund Peacebuilding Officer Stephanie Taffy encouraged participants to actively apply insights gained from the town hall in their respective communities.
“We must continue to harness the momentum of advocacy to influence policies and practices that promote peace. Our collective efforts will shape a future of inclusive and resilient communities,” she concluded.
The meeting marked another milestone in JISRA’s work of bridging religious and ethnic divides, empowering grassroots actors, and building a foundation for long-term peace in Plateau State.
