Peace Bureau Launches Grassroots Campaign Against Conflicts In Taraba

Taraba State Bureau for Peace and Conflict Management has begun a statewide grassroots campaign to strengthen peacebuilding efforts and prevent violent conflicts through an early warning and response system in communities.

The campaign, which began in Yorro local government area with a town hall meeting in Pantisawa, was designed to bring government closer to the people as well as to create channels for the residents to identify and report potential security threats before they escalate into violence.

The chairman of the bureau, Bishop Innocent Rubiruka Solomon, said the agency was established by Governor Agbu Kefas to address the root causes of insecurity through a proactive, data-driven and institutional approach.

He said the governor constituted a seven-member committee with the mandate to engage communities across the state, promote dialogue and foster collaboration among stakeholders in order to prevent conflicts.

He said, the committee would work closely with local communities to identify emerging security concerns and will create a network for timely information sharing capable of averting crises.

“Peace must be deliberately built and sustained. We are engaging communities because they are the first to notice signs of tension and conflict. If we identify these signs early enough, we can prevent crises before they occur,” Bishop Solomon said.

He noted that, the Bureau’s strategy focuses on collaboration with traditional rulers, local government authorities, security agencies, youth and women groups, religious leaders and other critical stakeholders to strengthen grassroots peacebuilding initiatives.

The chairman, therefore acknowledged that years of communal, ethnic and religious conflicts had undermined development and weakened social cohesion in parts of the state.

He expressed confidence that, the government’s peace initiatives would rebuild trust among communities and promote sustainable development.

The chairperson of Yorro local government area, Mrs. Martina Anthony, pledged the council’s support for the initiative, and stressed that lasting peace remains the foundation for sustainable development.

She described the establishment of the Bureau as a strategic intervention that would strengthen dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation among the diverse communities in Taraba State.

Stakeholders at the town hall meeting welcomed the initiative as a timely intervention that prioritises conflict prevention rather than responding after violence has occurred.

They urged parents to discourage their children from being recruited for violence, particularly as political activities begin to gather momentum ahead of future elections.

The stakeholders also commended the Bureau’s proposed early warning mechanism, saying it would enhance information sharing and enable authorities to respond promptly to emerging threats.

The statewide engagement campaign is expected to extend to all 16 local government areas as part of the state government’s efforts to deepen community participation in building a peaceful and secure Taraba.