The Women for Positive Peacebuilding Initiative (WOPPI) has called for greater commitment and investment in peacebuilding as part of activities marking the 2026 International Day of Peace in Plateau State.
WOPPI joined other civil society organisations and peace practitioners on Saturday, September 18, for a peace walk from Old Airport Junction to the Secretariat Junction Bridge in Jos.
Participants carried placards with messages promoting peace, unity and peaceful coexistence as they marched through parts of the state capital.
The 2026 International Day of Peace is being commemorated under the theme, “Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.”
Speaking during the peace walk, WOPPI Executive Director, Lantana Abdullah, said the organisation was using the occasion to remind citizens that peacebuilding is a collective responsibility.
Abdullah noted that Plateau State has experienced years of violence and continues to record pockets of attacks, stressing that the situation calls for renewed commitment from government, communities and individuals.
She said investment in peace should not be viewed as the sole responsibility of government or security agencies.
“Every citizen residing in Plateau or beyond Plateau or in Nigeria must play their part in making sure we sustain and build enduring peace for everyone,” Abdullah said.
She urged citizens to contribute to peace in their communities through responsible reporting, dialogue, community development initiatives and other peaceful interventions.
According to her, the message of WOPPI is that citizens should not remain silent when they observe developments capable of threatening peace.
Abdullah also challenged negative narratives portraying Plateau State as a place where people cannot live or work safely.
She said the state has continued to witness people living, working and earning their livelihoods despite its history of violence, describing Plateau as a state with a long-standing identity as a home of peace and tourism.
Abdullah said WOPPI’s peacebuilding efforts are particularly focused on strengthening the role of women in conflict prevention and resolution.
She explained that the organisation works to amplify the voices of women and empower them to contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding within their communities.
According to her, WOPPI empowers women as mediators while also engaging traditional rulers, young people and other community leaders in efforts to promote sustainable peace.
She stressed that peacebuilding requires collective action and sustained commitment rather than one-off interventions.
The Director-General of the Plateau State Peace Building Agency, Dr Julie Sanda, said the state’s story should not be defined solely by violent incidents.
Sanda acknowledged that every attack and loss of life was regrettable but said attention should also be given to attacks that had been prevented and the efforts of individuals and organisations working to rebuild affected communities.
According to her, government, civil society organisations, the media and other stakeholders are contributing to peacebuilding efforts in the state.
She called for greater commitment to social inclusion, community cohesion and dialogue, particularly where tensions emerge, to prevent conflicts from escalating.
Sanda said the theme, “Invest in Peace,” should be understood as a call for collective action, noting that investment in peace goes beyond financial resources.
She also urged businesses and private individuals to support peacebuilding, stressing that sustainable peace creates an environment for prosperity and development.
Peacebuilders Seek Greater Government Support
Executive Director of the Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA), Jacob Choji Pwakim, said peacebuilding in Plateau had recorded progress but remained a continuous process requiring sustained commitment.
According to him, government should complement kinetic security measures with stronger investments in peacebuilding and community resilience.
Pwakim also called for greater attention to internally displaced persons, particularly communities affected by recurring attacks, and advocated interventions that would help displaced residents rebuild their livelihoods.
He said such interventions should include skills acquisition and other programmes capable of helping affected communities recover and become more resilient.
Secretary-General of the Plateau Peace Practitioners Network, Kingsley Obida, said peacebuilding efforts had increased awareness among young people across the state.
Obida, however, described peacebuilding as a continuous process, saying more needed to be done to sustain the progress recorded so far.
He called for sustained awareness campaigns to help young people understand the importance of peace as a foundation for the development and stability of society.
The stakeholders stressed that the 2026 International Day of Peace should not be treated as a one-day event, but as a reminder that building and sustaining peace requires collective action every day.
The peace walk was organised in collaboration with the Plateau State Peace Building Agency, Plateau Peace Practitioners Network and the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria Programme (SPRiNG), with support from the United Kingdom International Development and other partners.
The event formed part of activities leading up to the annual International Day of Peace, observed globally on September 21.
For WOPPI, the commemoration served not only as a celebration of peace but also as a call for citizens, institutions and communities to deepen their efforts towards building lasting peace in Plateau State.
