The Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, in partnership with the Wise Youth Development Foundation (WISE DEF), facilitated a high-level mediation dialogue aimed at rebuilding trust, strengthening collaboration between communities and security agencies, and restoring lasting peace in Mushere and the wider Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State following the June 22 attack that claimed 23 lives.
The dialogue, themed “Dialogue, Trust-Building and Unity for a Secured Mushere and Bokkos Community,” brought together traditional rulers, security agencies, government officials, religious leaders, women and youth groups, market representatives and other critical stakeholders on Friday at the Bokkos Local Government Council Chamber.
Presenting a situational and contextual analysis, The Revd Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam, President & CEO of the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, explained that immediately after learning of the June 22 attack, the Foundation deployed a team to assess the situation and engage affected communities.
He said while preliminary findings had been gathered through a baseline survey and incident analysis, the mediation meeting was designed to allow victims and key stakeholders to directly share their experiences, identify existing gaps, examine what was working and what had broken down, and collectively develop practical solutions for rebuilding trust and improving cooperation with security agencies.
“AS A FAITH-BASED ORGANISATION COMMITTED TO NATION BUILDING THROUGH THE PROMOTION OF PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, WE COULD NOT REMAIN INDIFFERENT TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN MUSHERE. BEYOND THE TRAGIC LOSS OF LIVES, THE ATTACKS HAVE ALSO DEEPENED MISTRUST BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY, ITS LEADERSHIP AND THE SECURITY AGENCIES. THAT IS WHY WE FELT COMPELLED TO FACILITATE THIS MEDIATION, SO THAT ALL PARTIES COULD COME TOGETHER, LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER AND BEGIN REBUILDING TRUST THROUGH DIALOGUE.”
Also speaking, Director-General of the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA), Dr Julie Sanda, commended the initiative, describing dialogue as indispensable to sustainable peacebuilding.
“PEACE IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY. WE MUST NOT ALLOW POLITICS, ANGER, FEAR OR MISINFORMATION TO DIVIDE US FURTHER. DIALOGUE MUST CONTINUE BEYOND TODAY, COMMUNITIES MUST REPORT SECURITY CONCERNS THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE CHANNELS, AND WE ALL HAVE A PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT LAWFULLY AND SUPPORT THE STRUCTURES THAT PROMOTE PEACE. THE PLATEAU PEACE BUILDING AGENCY REMAINS READY TO SUPPORT MEDIATION WHEREVER IT IS NEEDED.”
Council Chairman Calls for Collective Action
Chairman of Bokkos Local Government Area, Hon. Amalau Samuel Amalau, in his welcome remarks, said the dialogue became necessary following the June 22 attack on Mushere and neighbouring communities in which 23 persons, including a district head, lost their lives.
He emphasised that the gathering was neither convened to apportion blame nor to instil fear, but to create a platform where all stakeholders could jointly identify practical solutions to the recurring insecurity affecting the area.
The mediation then opened the floor for participants to share their experiences and perspectives on the causes of the recurring violence, the growing mistrust within the community, and the relationship between residents and security agencies.
Victims, Community Members Call for Justice
Women representatives, Lydia Jolin and Charity A. Kelep, gave emotional accounts of the June 22 attack, alleging that armed men moved freely through the community before the assault. They questioned the source of military uniforms allegedly worn by some attackers and lamented what they described as the continued suffering of the Mushere people despite having prominent sons and daughters occupying positions of authority.
They also decried the killing of a reverend and other residents during the attack, expressed concern over the prolonged absence of a substantive traditional ruler in Mushere, and appealed to political, traditional and community leaders to take decisive action to prevent further bloodshed.
Their submissions were echoed by other community representatives, including youth leaders and title holders, who attributed the worsening security situation to internal divisions, communication gaps and the erosion of trust among various stakeholders. They called for greater unity within Mushere, improved engagement between community leaders and residents, and sustained dialogue as part of efforts to restore peace.
The National Leader of the Mushere Community Development Association (MCDA) also reflected on previous attacks on the community, noting that the violence had persisted over time and underscoring the need for stronger unity and coordinated responses among stakeholders.
Traditional Leaders Pledge Reconciliation, Stronger Engagement
Responding to the concerns raised, traditional rulers acknowledged the existing divisions within the community and pledged to work towards reconciliation.
Acting Chairman of the Bokkos Traditional Council, Lawrence Hazat, described reports of residents confronting soldiers as unfortunate, revealing that stakeholders had already begun consultations to address the issue.
Acting Senior District Head of Mushere, HRH Pah Gangden Mutten Dakop, promised to convene a meeting of traditional rulers and title holders to deliberate on the issues raised.
District Head Horp Jonah Dyoshak described the dialogue as long overdue, saying it had created a much-needed platform for honest conversations. While calling for sustained engagement beyond the meeting, he urged women to work with traditional leaders and cautioned clergy against making unverified public statements capable of escalating tensions.
A title holder also acknowledged communication gaps between community leaders and women groups, attributing recent tensions to misunderstandings and the breakdown of internal communication channels.
Representing former Governor Senator Joshua Dariye, Chief Gideon S. Mitu said divisions within Mushere had weakened community cohesion. He cited disagreements over meeting venues and increasing hostility on social media, calling on stakeholders to bridge existing gaps if lasting peace was to be achieved.
Religious Leaders Advocate Unity, Forgiveness and Dialogue
Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Bokkos, Rev. Francis Dauda Lokosh, urged all groups within the community to separately resolve their internal differences before coming together for collective reconciliation. He appealed to residents to embrace forgiveness, noting that the recurring violence had disrupted both community life and church activities.
Another clergy representative emphasised adherence to the rule of law, responsible information management and the need for government to carry communities along in decision-making processes. He warned against relying on rumours and social media narratives capable of inflaming tensions.
Representing the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Ayuba Matawal identified unity within Mushere as the foundation for lasting peace. He called for respected mediators to facilitate dialogue among aggrieved groups, encouraged support for community vigilantes working alongside security agencies, and urged residents—especially youths and women—not to allow anger to fuel further violence.
Security Agencies Seek Greater Community Cooperation
Security agencies, in their submissions, acknowledged the concerns raised by residents while outlining the operational challenges affecting efforts to respond effectively to attacks.
The Police representative, Yakubu Yohanna Adamu, who represented the Divisional Police Officer, said officers responded after receiving reports of the attack but arrived after the violence had escalated. He urged residents to provide timely and accurate information, warning that political, traditional and family interests should never interfere with security operations.
The DSS representative stressed the importance of intelligence gathering before, during and after attacks and called for urgent resolution of the district head leadership issue.
Commander of Sector 5 of Operation Safe Haven dismissed claims that soldiers seen earlier in the day were the attackers, clarifying that they were legitimate troops on patrol and that the actual attack occurred much later at night. He attributed many security challenges to misinformation, betrayals and the absence of credible intelligence.
Representing the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army, the Chief of Staff highlighted the security challenges posed by ungoverned areas along the Plateau–Nasarawa border, describing them as routes exploited by criminal elements. He advocated improved surveillance, stronger community-based vigilante structures, and greater economic activities in vulnerable areas as part of long-term measures to curb insecurity.
In his goodwill message, Plateau State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon. Adams Bulus Lekshak, who hails from Mushere, commended the organisers for convening the dialogue, describing peace and security as indispensable to development. He assured participants that no responsible government desired harm to its citizens, noting that sustainable economic growth could only thrive in a peaceful environment. He also encouraged the Bokkos Local Government chairman to remain steadfast despite the persistent security challenges confronting the area.
Stakeholders Adopt Action Points to Strengthen Peace Efforts
Participants concluded the dialogue by agreeing on a number of action points aimed at improving cooperation between communities and security agencies while strengthening local peace structures.
To demonstrate renewed cooperation, The Revd Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam led a symbolic handshake between community representatives and military personnel, after which participants affirmed their acceptance of military deployment to the area.
“WHAT WE WITNESSED TODAY GIVES US HOPE. DESPITE THE PAIN, THE FRUSTRATIONS AND THE MISTRUST THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED, THE PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN A GENUINE WILLINGNESS TO MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER. THIS SYMBOLIC HANDSHAKE IS MORE THAN A GESTURE—IT IS A COMMITMENT TO REBUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, RESTORING CONFIDENCE BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND SECURITY AGENCIES, AND WORKING COLLECTIVELY TOWARDS LASTING PEACE IN MUSHERE.”
In his closing remarks, co-facilitator Hon. O.J. Afwanks, appealed to participants to refrain from apportioning blame and urged security agencies to treat the concerns raised during the meeting as constructive feedback for strengthening their operations and relationship with the community
“MEDIATION DOES NOT END HERE; IT IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS UNTIL LASTING PEACE IS ACHIEVED. AS WE CONTINUE THIS PROCESS, THE ACTION POINTS AGREED UPON TODAY MUST BE IMPLEMENTED, ONE OF WHICH IS THE COMMUNITY’S ACCEPTANCE OF MILITARY DEPLOYMENT,” AFWANKS SAID.