By Marie-Therese Nnalong

Jos—GOVERNOR Simon Lalong of Plateau State, yesterday, said the state is committed to implementing the white paper from the Berom and Fulani Peace Committee as it is a panacea for building inclusive peace.

Gov. Lalong

Governor Lalong spoke at the opening ceremony of the three days conference on peace and security organised by the state Peace Building Agency in Jos, on the theme Resurgence of Violent Attacks in Plateau State: Forging a Multi-Stakeholder Partnership for Peace and Security.

Addressing participants, who cut across religious, political and ethnic divides, the governor said: “It is with sadness that I remember the lives we lost as a result of the systematic attacks, which punctuated the peaceful co-existence of our citizens in some local government areas of the state in the last one month.

“We shall not, however, despair and neither shall we relent in our commitment to tackle the challenges of peace and security.

“Our administration is committed to implementing the White Paper from the Berom and Fulani Peace Committee. We believe this is also a panacea for building inclusive peace, based on the recommendations of the conflict parties.

“We are here to, in a very clear and symbolic way, commence the implementation of the Road Map to Peace document launched earlier in the year.”

US envoy speaks

Similarly, the Charge de Affaires, US Embassy, Abuja, Mr. David Young, noted that “nothing is more sacred than human lives” hence the need to “work to end the cycle of violence and celebrate heroes of peace.”

He said a man such as the Chief Imam of Nghar village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, Abdullahi Abubakar, who hid 262 persons in a mosque to save them from the attackers, be celebrated so that people would continue to exhibit attitudes which are in support of peace.

Also, the United State Institute of Peace, USIP, through its Programme Coordinator, Nigeria, Kemakolam Isioma, said the Institute is partnering with the Plateau Peace Building Agency to “review our security architecture, mobilise a community of change that will utilise the Plateau Road Map to Peace and the USIP JSD state level dialogue as part of tools to overcome our security challenges.”

Earlier, the Director-General of the Peace Building Agency, Joseph Lengmang, urged the communities not to underrate the essence of dialogue stressing that “you cannot get peace unless you dialogue consistently.

“The conference would give room for resounding peace process and mending of broken walls of peace in the State.”

The Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba called for sincerity in discussion as peace cannot be achieved without sincerity.