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:

1. Peace advocacy through arts, sports, and culture
2. Community peace clubs and dialogue forums
3. Campaigns on mutual respect and conflict resolution
4. Youth empowerment and skill acquisition
5. 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.