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Youth Leaders Unite for Peace at Plateau Interfaith Town Hall
Jos, Nigeria — July 19, 2025
Young leaders from across Plateau State gathered Saturday at a town hall meeting hosted by the Plateau Youth Interfaith Forum (PYIF) to promote youth-led initiatives for peacebuilding and religious tolerance across the state. The event, supported by Search for Common Ground (SFCG), under the Inclusive Religious Engagement in Nigeria Enhanced by Women (I-RENEW) project, brought together participants from Plateau’s three senatorial zones: North, Central, and South.
With technical oversight from the Plateau Peacebuilding Agency (PPBA) and funding from the European Union, the event aimed to empower youths to take ownership of the peacebuilding process and strengthen social cohesion through interfaith collaboration.
In his welcome remarks, PYIF Co-chair Sheikh Omar Farooq Muhammad described the town hall as “a crucial gathering to discuss youth-led interfaith initiatives for sustainable peace.” He urged participants to seize the opportunity, saying, “Through this town-hall meeting, we envision a Plateau where youths from diverse backgrounds and faiths work together, respect each other’s differences, and contribute to sustainable peace and development.”
He added: “As youths, we recognize the challenges in our communities—conflicts, mistrust, and divisions—but we also acknowledge our immense potential to drive positive change.”
PYIF Co-chair Pharm. Markus Audu Kanda traced the group’s formation to the May 2024 Plateau Interfaith Dialogue organized by Search for Common Ground. “One of the resolutions was the need to establish the Plateau State Interfaith Youth Platform. That platform was inaugurated by the Governor on September 2, 2024,” he said.
Kanda emphasized that the forum, which comprises 25 members from groups like YOWICAN, NACOMYO, FOMWAN, and ethnic youth nationalities, has undergone training in advocacy, digital peace tools, and religious freedom awareness under the I-RENEW project.
“This activity is the last in a series of interventions. We’ve held a December town hall marking International Human Rights Day and tackled issues such as the Executive Order 003 protests in Bukuru,” he said. “We also organized radio programs and plan to step down training in 2025 across the 17 LGAs.”
PYIF Co-PRO Ali Ali Yahaya highlighted the importance of expanding the forum’s grassroots structure. “After this, we want to ensure there is PYIF representation in every local government of Plateau State so our activities can reach the grassroots,” he explained.
While acknowledging gaps in participants’ technical training, he assured that, “This is just a town hall. With time, we’ll organize sessions to equip them with the technical understanding of FoRB (Freedom of Religion or Belief) and the role of PYIF.”
Williams Ubimago, Project Manager for I-RENEW at Search for Common Ground, stressed the urgency of youth-driven peace efforts due to increasing religiously motivated violence in Nigeria.
“The project was birthed by recurring violent clashes linked to freedom of religion and belief,” Ubimago said, referencing the killing of Deborah Usman Bawa in Sokoto and attacks on religious minorities in Bauchi. “Religiously motivated conflict has become a bane in Nigeria.”
He explained that the project aims to “empower youth to play active roles in protecting FoRB, collaborate with civil society, and expand the reach of peace structures like the Plateau Peacebuilding Agency and Inter-Religious Council.”
Ubimago also addressed skepticism about repetitive training initiatives: “This initiative has been sustained and expanded. We are cascading lessons from our CGA modules to help youths resolve conflicts in their communities.”
Representing the Director General of the Plateau Peacebuilding Agency, Nanribet Longvwam, Team Lead for Peace Education, commended the youth’s commitment: “Young people are changing the narrative on the Plateau by promoting FoRB. We deeply appreciate the work of Search for Common Ground and PYIF.”
Longvwam conveyed DG Dr. Julie Sanda’s empathy to victims of recent violence in Riyom and drought-affected communities in Shendam, saying, “May God reward our peacebuilding efforts with lasting peace.”
He emphasized UN Resolution 2250, which encourages youth involvement in peace processes, noting: “It’s no longer just elders discussing peace. Young people are now key players. PYIF exemplifies this shift.”
He added that PPBA’s upcoming youth peace camp, in partnership with IFIT and GIZ, would further deepen youth involvement: “We’re leveraging the strength of youths—who make up over 65% of our communities—to foster peace.”
Godwin Okoko, Head of Program Implementation at SFCG Nigeria, encouraged participants to use their youthfulness for good. “Let your youthfulness drive peace,” he urged. “Youths are crucial change agents, and their energy must be harnessed positively to create a harmonious society.”
Panel Reflections
Sumayya Abubakar, PYIF Co-secretary, who led the panel discussion, described it as “fantastic and transformative.” She highlighted insights such as promoting shared humanity over division, and the role of education in combating extremism.
“We must amplify our similarities rather than our differences,” she said. “One panelist emphasized the need to go back to understanding our own religions, so we can distinguish between criminality, politics, and faith.”
She also highlighted the informal but powerful role women play in spreading FoRB concepts, saying, “Whether formally or informally, women ensure their peers understand religion and peaceful coexistence.”
Proposals from the Zones
During breakout sessions, participants from Plateau’s senatorial zones proposed practical steps for grassroots peacebuilding:
- Central Zone emphasized dialogue, advocacy, trust-building, and mentorship.
- Northern Zone called for qualified inter-religious leaders, trauma support, social media de-radicalization, and dignity for all religions.
- Southern Zone stressed the role of community stakeholders, identifying extremists, and promoting core values across faiths.
Takeaways and the Road Ahead
The PPBA summarized key recommendations:
- Peace advocacy through arts, sports, and culture
- Community peace clubs and dialogue forums
- Campaigns on mutual respect and conflict resolution
- Youth empowerment and skill acquisition
- Training in early warning and response systems
The I-RENEW program is scheduled to run for two years, as approved by the state government.
As the town hall concluded, the consensus was clear: young people across Plateau State are ready to lead the charge for religious tolerance and sustainable peace—if given the tools, platforms, and support.
The Obidient Movement has warned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, to stay away from any plan to rig the 2027 general elections.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Movement’s Directorate of Media and Communications.
The Movement said Nigerians must be allowed to freely choose their leaders through a free, fair and credible process.
This comes after Wike recently declared that he would lead President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign in the FCT and Rivers State.
The Movement also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agencies to remain neutral and resist any form of political interference in the elections.
It stressed that no individual or political party has the right to decide the outcome of an election before citizens cast their votes.
Recall that Wike had on Monday described himself as the field commander of Tinubu’s re-election campaign in both territories.
The minister also said he would coordinate political activities in support of the President’s second-term ambition.
In response to the declaration, the Obidients said, “Wike must understand that coordinating a political campaign does not confer ownership of the electorate, control over voters, or authority over the electoral process.”
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The Shendam Local Government Council of Plateau State is investing in a standard hotel in Karu, Nasarawa State, to boost internally generated revenue, create employment opportunities and provide accommodation for residents visiting Abuja and its environs.
The Shendam Guest House, which is currently 40 per cent complete, is expected to partner with Continental Hotels and other top hospitality brands to ensure professional service delivery and sustainable returns for the council.
The council chairman, Hon. Dr. Nicholas Kemi Nshe, disclosed this during an inspection of the project attended by lawmakers, government representatives, stakeholders and other local government chairmen.
Nshe explained that the project involved redeveloping an old facility comprising 13 flats constructed during the administration of former chairman Sebastian Bukhari more than two decades ago.
He said the council negotiated with the occupants and arranged alternative accommodation to pave the way for construction, adding that the project was expected to be completed within six months.
The facility will feature 84 en-suite rooms, event halls, a restaurant, laundry services, a swimming pool, a lounge and a gym.
Nshe said his administration was focused on investing public funds in sustainable projects that would deliver long-term benefits to the people.
“We are not thinking of taking the money, but we are thinking of investing the money,” he said.
The project consultant, Engr. Lawi Abdalla of ATM EARTH Creatives, expressed confidence that the hotel would be completed within six months, citing the commitment of workers despite challenges posed by the rainy season.
He explained that the nature of the terrain required stronger reinforcement materials and extensive retaining walls to ensure the building’s stability.
The member representing Shendam Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Joe Bukar, commended Nshe for the initiative, describing it as a visionary investment capable of generating revenue and creating jobs.
Bukar said the project aligned with the Plateau State Government’s The Time Is Now mantra and expressed confidence that it would deliver lasting benefits to the people of Shendam.
Also speaking, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Rt. Hon. Istifanus Mwansat, described the project as an investment in the future and urged the contractor to ensure timely completion.
He encouraged local government chairmen to learn from one another and pursue sustainable development initiatives that would strengthen their councils’ financial capacity.
The Chairman of Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area, Hon. Stephen Pwajok, who spoke on behalf of other council chairmen, commended Nshe for the initiative.
Pwajok said the hotel would provide accommodation for Plateau indigenes visiting Abuja while serving as a potential source of revenue for the council.
He also commended Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang for supporting development initiatives across the state’s 17 local government areas, expressing hope that the project would inspire similar investments elsewhere.
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