The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General EF Oyinlola, on Thursday led a decentralised stakeholders’ engagement aimed at consolidating recent security gains and preparing communities for the upcoming farming season.
The meeting, hosted by the Commander Sector 6 JTF OPEP, Colonel PJ Malgwi, took place at the Conference Hall of Yelwa Club and drew participants from local communities, traditional institutions, security agencies, and representatives of Fulani and farming groups from Riyom and Jos South Local government.
In his welcome address, Oyinlola described the engagement as a strategic step toward ensuring sustainable peace and development across communities within his operational area. He commended residents for their cooperation with security agencies, noting that recent months had witnessed a decline in violent incidents due to dialogue, conflict-resolution efforts, and improved community collaboration.
Despite the progress, the GOC warned of emerging threats capable of reversing the gains if not addressed early. He cited illegal mining activities, encroachment into farming areas, proliferation of locally made weapons, cattle rustling, and reprisal attacks as key vulnerabilities requiring collective vigilance.
He stressed that the approaching farming season was critical for livelihoods and warned that disruptions to agricultural activities could trigger wider economic consequences. Oyinlola disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff had approved the distribution of non-kinetic support in the form of fertilizers to encourage farming and strengthen stability efforts.
The army commander urged traditional leaders, youth groups, and community stakeholders to promote peaceful coexistence and discourage acts capable of provoking violence, including property destruction, attacks on livestock, and inflammatory social media narratives. He also called on the media to maintain professionalism and support peace-building efforts.
During the interactive session, community members expressed readiness to cooperate with security agencies but highlighted concerns requiring attention. These included compensation for rustled or killed cattle, restitution for destroyed farmlands, prosecution of offenders, unbiased justice processes, access to disputed farmlands, and better regulation of cattle routes and underage herders. Participants also emphasized the need for youth orientation, stronger trust in security authorities, and respect for traditional leadership structures.
Responding to the concerns, Oyinlola reaffirmed the military’s commitment to justice, human rights, and the protection of all law-abiding citizens regardless of ethnicity or religion. He said security forces were intensifying plans to ensure farmers could access and work on their lands safely throughout the season.
The GOC also urged parents and guardians to play a more active role in guiding youths, warning against shielding offenders because of ethnic or family ties. According to him, accountability at all levels is essential to building confidence in the system.
He further acknowledged the social and economic toll of insecurity, noting that fear disrupts education, markets, and livelihoods, and pledged continued collaboration with communities to restore normalcy and prosperity.
The engagement ended with the presentation of fertilizers to stakeholders, with the GOC urging community leaders to relay the resolutions of the meeting to their respective communities as part of ongoing efforts to entrench lasting peace across the area.
