Following the escalation of hostilities in communities in Plateau State, 150 youths from the 17 local government areas have been trained on how to manage conflicts and violent extremism across the state.
The training was conducted during an interfaith dialogue for youths from Bokkos, Mangu and Pankshin LGAs by the Centre for Peace Advancement of Nigeria (CEPAN) and in partnership with the Institute of Governance and Social Development Research (IGSR).
Speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to Plateau State Governor on Religious Matters, Dr. Sumaye Hamza, said both Christians and Muslims preach peace and so should be used as tools to resolve crises.
Hamza urged the government to checkmate the type of messages preached by religious leaders to ensure that they are free of hate speeches that are capable of setting the entire country on fire.
“Most of the crises we are experiencing today in Nigeria are purely political, but the minds of Nigerians have been shifted towards religion as the main cause of our problems. The crisis has a political coloration and people, especially youths should be careful in managing the situation”, he said.
