Nasarawa to Host North Central Faith Summit, Shares Peace Model with Region

Nasarawa State is set to bring together Senior Special Assistants on Religious Matters from across North Central Nigeria for a summit aimed at spreading its peace model and deepening unity among people of different faiths.

The plan was announced by Venerable Jibrailu Yarima Dabong, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Christian Religious Matters, during a peace advocacy meeting at the Keffi Local Government Council Secretariat.

The upcoming summit, already approved by Governor Sule, is part of an ongoing statewide peace tour Dabong is conducting alongside his counterpart on Islamic Affairs, Malam Yusuf Saidu Kirki. The idea is simple: let Nasarawa share how it became one of Nigeria’s most peaceful states, and help other North Central states replicate that success.

“This summit gives us a platform to tell our story and work together to make the whole region safer and more united,” Dabong said. He stressed that peace isn’t automatic — it takes deliberate effort, dialogue, and the involvement of faith leaders at every level.

Malam Yusuf Saidu Kirki echoed that view, saying religious bodies in Nasarawa have enjoyed unprecedented support under Governor Sule. He called on everyone to protect those gains, adding that without peace, development stalls. With the 2027 elections drawing closer, Kirki urged parents to keep their children away from political thuggery and violence. “No society grows in an atmosphere of rancour,” he warned.

In Keffi, Council Chairman Dr. Idris Ahmad Damagani praised the governor’s initiative and pledged to work closely with religious groups to keep the area calm and secure. Both the Chairman of Jama’atul Nasir Islam, Mohammed Gali Ahmed, and the CAN Chairman for Keffi, Musa Cephas, appealed for greater inclusion of religious leaders in governance, saying their voice is key to lasting peace.

The advocacy tour also made a stop at Kokona Local Government Secretariat, where Council Chairman Agbawu Mek Agbawu — represented by his deputy, Ada Mohammed Usman — and other faith leaders called for the peace engagements to continue. They said consistent dialogue builds understanding and trust among different religious communities.

In Karu, Council Chairman Barr. Abubakar Aliyu Madaki described the tour as timely. With political activities picking up ahead of 2027, he said the outreach would help douse tension and promote unity not just during the elections, but long after.

Across the three councils, the message was the same: peace is working in Nasarawa, and now the state wants to help its neighbours make it work too. The forthcoming North Central summit is expected to turn that message into a regional action plan for religious harmony and security.