Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting peace, reconciliation and inclusive governance across the state.
The governor, represented by his Special Adviser on Peace and Conflict Resolution, Mr Danlami Adamu, gave the assurance on Saturday at the Jaba Local Government Security and Peace Summit held in Kafanchan.
Sani said humanity remained the foundation of lasting peace and justice.
“We are first humans before becoming Fulani, Jaba, Muslims or Christians. Humanity must guide our actions if we truly desire justice and peaceful coexistence.”
He described peace as a continuous process, noting that conflicts would always have triggers requiring sustained dialogue and collective action.
According to him, the government’s primary responsibility is to guarantee citizens’ wellbeing, ensure security and create equal opportunities for development.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of Jaba Local Government, Mrs Larai Ishaku, said the summit aimed to strengthen unity among farmers, herders and youths.
She said the theme, “Bridging the Divide: Uniting Farmers, Herders, and Youth for a Prosperous Community,” reflected the urgent need for dialogue and mutual understanding.
Ishaku said insecurity and recurring conflicts had affected livelihoods, slowed development and weakened social cohesion in many communities.
She urged farmers, herders and youths to reject violence, ethnic and religious divisions, and embrace dialogue, tolerance and cooperation.
The council chairman said the summit would promote trust, conflict prevention, early warning mechanisms, peaceful dispute resolution and community policing.
She commended Gov. Uba Sani for prioritizing peace, reconciliation and inclusive governance, saying sustainable development could only thrive in a peaceful environment.
Also speaking, the guest speaker, Mr Nehemiah Bamai, who is the Senior Special Assistant on Security and Technical Aide to the Kaduna Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, praised Ishaku’s leadership.
Bamai said convening critical stakeholders demonstrated the council chairman’s commitment to fostering peace and sustainable development in Jaba Local Government.
He said bringing together farmers, herders, youths, traditional rulers, religious leaders, women groups and security agencies would strengthen social cohesion.
The Chairman of the occasion, retired Maj.-Gen. Peter Dauke, said meaningful development could not be achieved without adequate security.
Dauke described the summit’s theme as timely, urging stakeholders to set aside differences and work collectively for peace and prosperity.
He said Southern Kaduna possessed enormous agricultural and economic potential that could only be fully realized in a peaceful atmosphere.
The retired general called on farmers and herders to embrace dialogue, while urging youths to champion community development and peace building initiatives.
He also appealed to political, traditional and religious leaders to promote inclusiveness, reject hate speech and encourage mutual respect.
According to him, forgiveness, reconciliation and collaboration remain essential for addressing unemployment, insecurity, educational challenges and underdevelopment.
Some participants described the summit as timely and capable of restoring peaceful coexistence if resolutions reached were faithfully implemented.
One of the participants, Mr Abubakar Iliyasu, expressed optimism that adherence to agreements reached at the summit would guarantee lasting peace.
Another participant, Mr Yem Ankuma, recalled years of harmonious relationships between indigenous communities and Fulani herders.
Ankuma said both communities previously celebrated festivals together and supported one another in farming activities, expressing hope for the restoration of lasting peace. (NAN).
