Plateau leaders pledge peace as Tinubu okays N2bn for attack victims

Plateau State leaders have pledged to pursue lasting peace following their meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, where the federal government also approved N2 billion as relief fund for victims of recent violence in the state.

In a statement on Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said the meeting was convened as part of the president’s response to the 29 March killings in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu… told stakeholders from Plateau State to return home with open minds to seek peace and put a permanent end to the recurring crises in the state,” Mr Onanuga said.

The meeting, attended by a 32-member delegation including Governor Caleb Mutfwang, former governors, traditional rulers and political leaders, focused on addressing the root causes of violence such as indigene-settler tensions, religion, ethnicity and farmer-herder conflicts, according to the presidential spokesperson.

He said Mr Tinubu urged the leaders to revisit previous white papers on past crises and agree on practical steps for implementation.

“Let us first of all accept one resolution, tolerance for every inhabitant… As leaders, you must go back home… review the previous recommendations and agree to implement the White Paper,” the president was quoted as saying.

Mr Onanuga said the president warned that continued violence would only deepen humanitarian crises.

“To stop creating orphans, widows and widowers, there must be an enduring peace in the state,” Mr Tinubu said while calling on leaders to identify those fuelling unrest for prosecution.

Mr Onanuga added that President Tinubu also directed the Plateau State government to strengthen inclusion and ensure that all groups feel a sense of belonging, noting that sustainable peace depends on justice, fairness and cooperation across ethnic and religious lines.

Mr Onanuga disclosed that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mohammed Dorro, announced the approval of N2 billion for victims of the Angwan Rukuba attack.

The intervention, he said, is aimed at supporting displaced persons and affected families as communities begin recovery efforts.

Governor Mutfwang, in his remarks, welcomed the initiative and pledged renewed commitment by the state’s leadership. He noted that the gathering marked the first time former governors of Plateau had come together in a single meeting to address the crisis.

“Our coming here today shows that there is a renewed spirit on the Plateau… we are determined more than ever to close all our gaps, ensure that we rise above all the divides… and build a state we can all be proud of,” Mr Onanuga quoted the governor as saying.

The Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba, called for additional federal security support, including deployment of more troops and installation of surveillance infrastructure.

He also urged the federal government to facilitate the return of internally displaced persons to their communities, especially as the farming season approaches.

Youth representatives at the meeting, according to the statement, expressed readiness to support peacebuilding efforts, while other stakeholders stressed the need for sincerity and enforcement of the rule of law to end impunity.

The Abuja meeting follows Mr Tinubu’s earlier visit to Plateau, where he met victims of attacks in Bokkos, Bassa and Jos North and promised justice.

The state has recorded repeated incidents of violence in recent months, with dozens killed and many displaced, prompting sustained calls for both security reforms and political solutions.