Thursday, February 12, 2026 - Farmers and herders from six rural communities in Bokkos and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau State have signed 25 peace agreements aimed at ending years of deadly clashes and rebuilding fractured relationships.
The agreements involve men and women from Sha, Bum and Sopp
communities, areas that have witnessed repeated violence resulting in loss of
lives and destruction of property.
The peace deals were reached after a series of dialogue and
reconciliation meetings facilitated by the Institute for Integrated Transitions
(IFIT). The engagements were designed to promote social cohesion and identify
practical, community-driven solutions to persistent conflict in the affected
areas.
A senior district head from Bokkos LGA, Lazaros David,
described the initiative as timely, noting that the communities have endured
significant hardship due to the recurring violence.
“They followed the programme consistently to ensure it
succeeded. They sat with us, identified our problems and discussed them
openly,” he said.
David expressed optimism that the agreements would not remain
on paper, stressing that community leaders would leverage religious and social
gatherings to sustain the peace efforts.
“Through platforms
like churches and mosques, where our people regularly gather, we will continue
to reinforce the message of peace and make sure it holds,” he added.
Another participant, Chiroma Haruna Idris, said the dialogue
sessions helped both sides better understand each other’s concerns.
“Our coming together has given us deeper insight into the
challenges we face. We believe what we’ve learned here will help us address our
issues peacefully, without further disruption or confusion,” he said.
Idris added that the signed agreements provide a framework
for resolving longstanding disputes and fostering cooperation between farming
and herding communities in the area.
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