Interfaith Leaders, Stakeholders Rally for Peace and Food Security in Benue

From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

Stakeholders drawn from faith-based organisations, traditional institutions and the academic community in Benue State have urged collective action to sustain peace and strengthen food security across the state.

The call was made during a two-day, community-driven peacebuilding and conflict resolution workshop held in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. The workshop focused on enhancing food security sensitisation, policy engagement and the promotion of sustainable peace in communities affected by conflict.
The workshop, with the theme “Scale-Up: Strengthening Food Security Sensitization, Awareness and Policy Engagement in Nigeria,” was organised by the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace (IDFP) in collaboration with the Interfaith Dialogue Network (IDN), Benue State chapter. It received support from the International Partnership on Religion and Sustainable Development (PaRD) and the King Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID).
In his welcome address, the Co-chair of IDFP, Rev. Fr. Joseph Nomhwange, charged participants to approach the peace process with deliberate commitment, stressing that lasting stability in Benue State requires active involvement from all stakeholders.
He described peace as a shared responsibility and emphasised that meaningful participation by community leaders is essential to ending recurring conflicts in the state.
Rev. Fr. Nomhwange also highlighted the work of IDFP, explaining that it is a Nigerian interfaith non-governmental organisation established in 2017, made up of more than 120 Christian and Muslim religious leaders.
According to him, the organisation operates in 10 conflict- and climate-affected states and has carried out over 50 initiatives nationwide, reaching more than 2,000 beneficiaries. Its activities focus on interreligious dialogue, conflict prevention, mediation and community-based peacebuilding.
Also speaking, the Co-secretary of IDFP, Imam Shefiu Majemu, said the workshop was a continuation of engagements that began in November 2022.
He noted that the programme represents the first phase of a three-phase project, with the second phase scheduled to begin in February 2026.
Majemu explained that the initiative is part of a flagship project linking food security, peacebuilding and climate resilience. He said Benue State was chosen because of its strategic role as Nigeria’s “Food Basket” and the severe challenges it faces, including farmer-herder conflicts, climate change impacts and weak agricultural systems.
He added that these challenges have contributed to food insecurity, malnutrition, displacement of families and persistent communal violence, underscoring the need for faith-based intervention.
According to him, religious leaders are trusted voices within communities and play a key role in shaping attitudes and behaviour. He said faith actors have consistently demonstrated effectiveness in mediating conflicts, fostering peaceful coexistence, and supporting food security and community resilience.
Majemu explained that the workshop was designed to strengthen community-led responses to conflict, address the nexus between food security, climate change and peace, empower faith leaders as agents of dialogue and mediation, and promote sustainable peace in Benue communities. Participants, he said, are expected to receive training in conflict analysis, mediation skills and peacebuilding strategies to enable them serve as local peace champions.
In a presentation titled “Understanding Peace and Security,” Hajiya Lantana Abdullahi described peace as more than the absence of violence, noting that it also encompasses freedom from fear, justice and stability. Drawing from religious and academic perspectives, she explained the concepts of negative peace—defined as the cessation of hostilities—and positive peace, which refers to sustainable and structural peace built on strong institutions and shared values.
Former Benue State Commissioner for Education and IDN State Coordinator, Prof. Peter Agogo, alongside Mallam Ahmad Baba, who spoke on behalf of Alhaji Garba Baba, Co-chair and Chairman of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), commended IDFP for its sustained mediation efforts. They also acknowledged the Benue State Government’s support for peace initiatives.
Similarly, the Co-chair of Christians, Rev. Akpen Aleva, represented by Rev. Dr. Jesse Tsekeh, expressed concern over the widespread destruction caused by recurring crises in Benue, while expressing optimism that the ongoing peace efforts would produce meaningful outcomes.
In his remarks, Prof. Adejo, Deputy Director at the Centre for Food Technology (CEFTER), Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi (MOAUM), warned that failure to collectively confront conflict and violence would eventually have consequences for all Nigerians.
Speaking on behalf of the Ter Makurdi, His Royal Highness Vincent Aule, the Kindred Head of Walomayo, welcomed the IDFP delegation to Benue State and appreciated the organisation for prioritising the state in its peacebuilding interventions.
In the same vein, IDN Desk Officer, Dr. Abigail Gire, thanked IDFP for its concern and commitment to addressing the challenges facing the people of Benue.
Participants at the workshop identified persistent crises and climate change as major threats undermining Benue’s status as the nation’s food basket and called for stronger collaboration to end violence. They also pledged to establish advocacy and pressure groups to promote peace and influence policy decisions.
The workshop is expected to conclude with the launch and signing of a peace and policy commitment document, the validation of a programme activity framework for interfaith dialogue, and the inauguration of an Alternative Dispute Resolution community of practice. These steps are aimed at ensuring practical implementation and measurable outcomes beyond previous engagements.