From Christiana Gokyo, Jos
In a decisive move to address the rising security tension in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH), Major General Folusho Oyinlola, convened a stakeholders engagement meeting with critical community actors.
The meeting, held in response to a recent security breach in the area, aimed at de-escalating the volatile situation and fostering sustainable peace through dialogue and cooperation among residents, traditional institutions, and security agencies.
While addressing participants, Major General Oyinlola commended the people of Barkin Ladi for their longstanding cooperation with security personnel and their commitment to peaceful coexistence. He emphasized the importance of strengthening early warning systems to enable prompt response and avert conflicts.
“We must not allow Barkin Ladi to slide into avoidable crisis,” the Commander stated. “Security agencies are intensifying operations to frustrate the activities of marauders and ensure they are brought to justice. I urge all stakeholders to prioritise dialogue over violence in settling disputes.”
He further called on residents to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to help prevent further breakdown of law and order. In addition, he tasked the local government to develop an accurate biometric database of both residents and immigrants to mitigate threats posed by undocumented individuals.
The Dagwom Rwei and Chairman of Barkin Ladi Traditional Council, His Royal Highness Edward Bot, also spoke at the meeting, calling for an immediate end to the attacks. He urged all parties to resolve their grievances within the boundaries of the law.
Chairman of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Hon. Gyang Pwajok, condemned the practice of underage grazing, identifying it as a major trigger of the recurrent conflicts. He also commended OPSH’s swift intervention during the recent security breach in the Gashish community, which helped prevent a potentially complex crisis.
Other speakers at the engagement expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in recent attacks and urged for a comprehensive review of existing documents guiding the relationship between farmers and herders in the area.
The stakeholders meeting brought together a wide array of participants, including heads of security agencies, traditional rulers, religious and community leaders, youth and women representatives, as well as government officials from Sector 4 and Forward Operating Base (FOB) Gashish.
The Commander reiterated OPSH’s commitment to restoring lasting peace in the region and emphasized that peacebuilding must remain a collective effort.
