Lokoja: Dr Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), emphasized that unity, openness, and solidarity are crucial for attaining enduring peace in Nigeria. Essiet made these remarks at a community workshop and the inauguration of Community-Based Peace Structures in Kogi.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event convened over 200 stakeholders from Kogi’s 21 Local Government Areas to inaugurate the state’s peace structures. Essiet stressed the importance of leaders and citizens embracing unity and inclusiveness to maintain peace across communities. “When no one is left behind, development becomes truly sustainable, and peace becomes lasting in all communities and in Nigeria as a whole,” she stated.
She urged attendees to collaborate for a peaceful and thriving Kogi, noting that this initiative would be extended to all states in the North Central zone as directed by President Bola Tinubu. “We are collaborating with the North Central Development Commission to sustain dialogue, strengthen community voices, and ensure that peace-building efforts translate into tangible improvements in infrastructure, security, and livelihoods,” Essiet explained. She highlighted Tinubu’s dedication to establishing peace and security as foundations for economic growth and development, adding that building social cohesion is an ongoing journey requiring patience, inclusiveness, and commitment.
Ododo, representing the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashade Arike-Ayoade, urged residents to stop aiding criminals by providing them with food and other necessities. “When we stop supplying them with the things they need in the bushes, the criminals will abandon their evil trade,” he asserted. He also appealed to youths to reject crime and embrace hard work, describing it as the sole path to sustainable success. The governor praised Essiet for her dedication to advancing peace and security in Kogi and the broader North Central region.