Jos, Plateau State — July 31, 2025:
In a bid to foster peaceful coexistence and enhance freedom of religion or belief in Bassa Local Government Area, RURCON, an implementing partner of the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA), convened a strategic town hall meeting bringing together key community stakeholders and security actors.
Held at the NBTT Hall in Jos, the town hall carried the theme: “Faith Communities Transforming Conflict Situations in Bassa LGA in Synergy with Security Actors.” The event was designed to drive conversations around resolving communal conflicts, strengthening collaboration with security agencies, and promoting inclusive dialogue.
The meeting featured traditional leaders, local government officials, youth representatives, women leaders, ward heads, village heads, and heads of local vigilante groups.
Speaking at the event, Elizabeth Onu, RURCON’s Peacebuilding Officer, emphasized the importance of creating safe spaces for dialogue.
“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.
Onu added that understanding the root causes of conflict—beyond surface-level symptoms—is key to building sustainable peace, effective mediation, and fostering long-term coexistence.
Hon. Sunday Riti, Chairman of Bassa Local Government Council, speaking through Mrs. Grace Goler, Director of Social Services, highlighted the growing threat of youth involvement in drug abuse, which he linked to the rise in local insecurity. He also called on the three major chiefdoms in Bassa to set aside differences and unite for the common good.
“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.
She also appealed for better mutual understanding between farmers and herders, urging both groups to adhere to agreed grazing paths and handle disputes through dialogue rather than confrontation.
“Allowing children to herd large cattle unsupervised leads to avoidable clashes. Responsibility must be shared on both sides,” she emphasized.
On issues of community safety, Hon. Riti advocated for a coordinated security strategy. He called for proper profiling and vetting of non-conventional security outfits and urged community members to report breaches instead of resorting to retaliation.
Traditional leader Ardo Bako Abubakar from Dutsen Kura acknowledged the value of the dialogue, stating that the town hall helped surface critical but often ignored issues, including political negligence and misinformation spread through social media.
Acting District Head of Igbak, Adik Adankanla, also commended the initiative.
“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.
Laraba Sunday, a women’s leader from Dutsen Kura, emphasized the importance of forgiveness and community healing.
“We must remember the peaceful past of our communities and work intentionally to return to that path,” she urged.
The town hall featured panel discussions moderated by Umar Farouk Musa of JNI and Dan Maren of CORP-PIN. Discussions centered on the need for collective security consciousness, early warning systems, and community-led peace efforts.
In her closing remarks, Stephanie Taffy, Peacebuilding Officer with Tearfund, charged participants to take ownership of the outcomes of the town hall.
“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 town hall marks another significant step in JISRA’s mission to build bridges across religious and ethnic divides and promote peaceful, pluralistic societies in Plateau State and beyond.
