The Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Movement (JPRM) convened a high-level stakeholder engagement on Tuesday aimed at addressing the state of insecurity in Plateau State and Nigeria at large, with particular focus on the role of security agencies and citizens in fostering peaceful coexistence and safeguarding lives and property.
The strategic meeting, held on May 14, 2025 at the Peace and Orientation Conference Center (POCC) on Lamingo Road, Jos, was part of its activity under the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA) Project and it brought together security sector representatives, civil society actors, government officials, religious leaders, media professionals, and community stakeholders.
Delivering the keynote address on “Insecurity in Nigeria: Causes, Consequences, and the Way Forward,” Prince Charles Dickson, Team Lead at the Tri-Centre for Conflict Resolution and Local Peacebuilding Expert with UK-based Peace Direct, gave a comprehensive overview of Nigeria’s security crises. He highlighted the regional dynamics of violence across the North East, South East, North Central and South West zones—ranging from terrorism and banditry to farmer-herder clashes and kidnappings.
Dickson underscored systemic challenges such as unemployment, drug abuse, poor policing standards, lack of trust in government, and weak security intelligence mechanisms. He noted that Nigeria’s multidimensional crisis is compounded by poverty, corruption, youth restiveness, and declining moral values, calling the national landscape “a multifaceted crime scene.”
He also criticized the low morale and poor welfare of security personnel, saying, “You cannot give a man a gun, keep him on the same rank for 15 years without a living wage, and expect professionalism.” Dickson further lamented the disconnect between early warning systems and actual response, citing cases where communities were attacked despite having raised prior alarms.
JPRM Executive Director, Elder Amb. Justina Mike Ngwobia, in her opening remarks, stressed the urgency of the dialogue, given recent waves of violence on the Plateau. “We have witnessed countless attacks, displacements, and loss of lives. This gathering is meant to ask critical questions: What are we not doing right, and how can we fix it?” she said. Ngwobia added that outcomes from the dialogue would be used as advocacy tools to push for policy and institutional reforms.
Representing the Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA), Country Coordinator Jude Likita expressed optimism about the interfaith and multisectoral nature of the dialogue. “This shows that religion is not a divider. We are all sitting here together, talking about solutions,” he said, reaffirming JISRA’s commitment to freedom of religion and belief as a foundation for peace.
Dr. Joseph Lengmang, former Director-General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency, presented a paper on the “Role of State and Non-State Actors in Security Governance.” He emphasized that “trust is the bedrock of effective security,” lamenting the erosion of community confidence due to unresponsive authorities and unaddressed intelligence. He warned that without accountability, dialogue becomes a “talk shop” and called for greater scrutiny of security votes and coordinated responses among agencies.
Another speaker, Barr. Kiyenpiya Mafuyai, delivered a paper on “Insecurity: A Threat to Human Rights and Existence in Nigeria,” urging government to uphold its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and ensuring citizens’ welfare. She emphasized that security should be seen as a fundamental human right.
Mr. Godwin Okoko, Head of Programme Implementation at Search for Common Ground, described the engagement as timely and critical. “It is important that security actors have these open dialogues with civil society and citizens to build trust and improve collaboration,” he noted. Amina Jatau a representative of CAFOD also echoed the same sentiments, emphasizing the need for efforts to resolve lingering conflicts.
The event concluded with a panel discussion that featured respected community and faith leaders including Chief Imam of Jos Central Mosque, Imam Ghazali Adam, Rev. Pwakim Jacob Choji, Dr. Mayowa Stephen, Hajiya Amina Ahmed, Zuma Jang, and Mrs. Bridget Dakyes. The discussants echoed calls for strengthened community engagement, mutual accountability, and sustained inter-agency cooperation.
As Plateau State and Nigeria continue to grapple with insecurity, the consensus among participants was clear: peacebuilding must be holistic, participatory, and anchored on trust, responsive leadership, and institutional reform.