Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Henry Owen
The Kaduna State Government has unveiled a new peace strategy aimed at ending years of killings and kidnappings by armed groups — offering access to education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities instead of cash payments.
The Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, announced the initiative, known as the Kaduna Peace Model, on Wednesday during a one-day workshop on Peace Journalism organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in partnership with the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria and the State Ministry of Information.
Maiyaki said the model represents a shift “from confrontation to conversation,” stressing that sustainable peace requires inclusion and trust, not warfare or financial incentives.
“You cannot bomb peace into existence; you must build it with trust,” he stated.
He explained that after years of bloodshed, the government chose to focus on addressing the social and economic roots of insecurity. The shift came after local armed leaders appealed for the reopening of schools, hospitals, and markets that had been closed due to persistent violence.
“We agreed because these are basic human needs, not ransom payments. We didn’t give them a dime. What we gave was life back to communities long abandoned,” Maiyaki added.
Between 2015 and 2023, Kaduna recorded 1,160 security incidents leading to 4,876 deaths and thousands of kidnappings. In 2021 alone, 1,192 people were killed, while 3,348 were abducted, forcing the closure of 142 schools and 192 health centres.
The commissioner revealed that with support from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Kaduna Peace Model has resulted in the negotiated release of over 500 hostages without ransom or force.
Former bandit leaders, including Jan Bros and Yellow One Million, have since renounced violence and now serve as community peace mediators.
“The peace model works because it is owned by the people. Communities co-create peace instead of having it dictated by government,” Maiyaki said.
He noted that the initiative has reclaimed more than 500,000 hectares of farmland, with economic activities returning to areas once overrun by violence. Markets have reopened, and as many as 30 cattle trucks now travel weekly along routes previously deemed unsafe.
Maiyaki described each reopened school, clinic, and market as “a victory over fear,” arguing that inclusive dialogue has achieved what years of military offensives could not.
“Our people wanted dignity, not pity. Once they saw sincerity, they embraced peace,” he said, adding that the peace process continues with the involvement of traditional rulers, clerics, and community leaders.
Guest lecturer Dr. Fatima Shuaibu of Kaduna Polytechnic urged journalists to use their platforms to promote unity and reconciliation, while Rev. Joseph Hayab, Country Director of the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria, said:
“Media must be a bridge, not a barrier. Every story of peace you tell helps strengthen our shared humanity.”
Chairperson of the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Maryam Ahmadu-Suka, said the workshop was designed to train journalists in conflict-sensitive reporting and to promote the Kaduna Peace Model as a viable tool for national healing.
The announcement comes amid reports of renewed clashes between bandits and illegal miners in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, where at least seven people were recently killed — underscoring the fragility of peace in parts of the state.
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