Group Plans To Transform Sambisa Forest Into Peace City

The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) is set to partner with the Borno State government to establish Africa’s Peace City in the state.

The executive director of PeacePro, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, described the plan as a landmark initiative aimed at transforming the once dreaded Sambisa Forest into one of Africa’s foremost centres for peace, human security, innovation and sustainable development.

“The proposal, which will be presented to the Borno State government, envisions the transformation of a landscape historically associated with violent extremism into a global symbol of resilience, productivity and African renewal,” he said.

Hamzat explained that the initiative was founded on a simple but profound philosophy: “Peace is not only protected by security; it is sustained by opportunity.”

He said that although Borno State has borne the scars of insurgency for more than a decade, the courage of its people, the sacrifices of Nigeria’s security forces and the commitment of successive governments have created a rare opportunity to build one of Africa’s greatest post-conflict success stories.

“History has already written the story of Sambisa as a theatre of conflict. We now have an opportunity to write a new chapter, one that tells the story of peace, innovation, investment and human progress,” Hamzat said.

He said that his group would request the Borno State government to allocate a suitable portion of Sambisa Forest, or any other location it considers appropriate, for the development of the project.

He added that said the choice of Sambisa is both strategic and deeply symbolic.

“For years, Sambisa Forest has represented one of the darkest chapters in Africa’s contemporary security history. Transforming part of that same landscape into Africa’s Peace City would send a powerful message to the world that Africa does not merely recover from conflict; it transforms it into opportunity,” he said.

Hamzat said the project would fundamentally change global perceptions of both Sambisa Forest and Borno State.

“The narrative must move from ‘the forest of conflict’ to ‘the forest of renewal.’ A place once synonymous with terrorism can become a destination for peace, education, technology, investment and human development,” he added.