Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has vowed to find lasting solutions to the security challenges currently facing the state.

 

The governor made the promise on Monday during the state’s annual Day for Forgiveness at the Garden of Peace and Forgiveness in Jos.

 

He said that his administration had engaged critical stakeholders, comprising community and religious leaders as well as security agencies and others, on peacebuilding in the state, while thanking them for their various efforts.

 

 

The governor, who decried the lingering insecurity in the Bassa Local Government Area of the state, assured residents of his determination to find lasting solutions before the expiration of his tenure.

 

He said that he had held a series of multi-level and multi-layered meetings with leaders of both Irigwe and Fulani ethnic communities in the council area.

 

This, Lalong said, was in addition to establishing an Inter-Religious Council (IRC) with a view to ending the crises in Bassa and other parts of the state.

 

“Similarly, the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA) has held and is still facilitating, series of intra and inter-dialogues between the parties.

 

“The IRC, made up of respected religious leaders, is also facilitating mediation and dialogues in the troubled communities.

 

“The most recent is the intra-dialogue engagement between IRC and Irigwe community, which took place last Friday (Feb. 4).

 

“This will be followed by another engagement between IRC members and the Fulani community in the next few days,” he said.

 

 

The governor said that he had directed the PPBA, established to mitigate the violent crisis in the state, to design and implement a project to help foster social cohesion and reintegration of segregated communities.

 

He added that he had signed into law the Anti-Land Grabbing Bill to ensure that displaced persons returned to their ancestral homes.

 

“That is why we signed into law the Anti-Land Grabbing Bill to ensure that nobody claims the land of those who temporarily relocated from their ancestral lands due to insecurity,” he said.

 

 

Lalong noted that the forgiveness day, which had been marked on Feb. 7 since 2019, was aimed at reflecting on the impacts of past mistakes on the state, leading to instability, and seeking healing and reconciliation from the different affected groups.

He said that the theme for this year’s celebration: “Forgiving the Past to Reconcile the Future,” was apt, to restore the state to its foundations of peace, justice, equality, tolerance and hospitality.

 

The governor urged community and religious leaders to preach peace to their followers, while also appealing to politicians to anchor their messages on love, peace, forgiveness and reconciliation, especially as preparations for the 2023 general elections drew closer.

 

Earlier in his remarks, the Director-General of PPBA, Mr Joseph Lengman, said that the day was organised to raise awareness on the power of forgiveness and reconciliation, which was critical to restoring unity, harmony and peace in the state.

 

He encouraged the people of the state to set aside their grudges, be open minded and sincere to forgive, adding that this would ensure a stable society that would shore up development.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that affected communities , children, inter-faith organisations, traditional, religious and community leaders across the state attended the event .