The Plateau State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ishaku Musa, has reaffirmed that the participation of religious and traditional leaders remains indispensable to effective security management and sustainable peacebuilding across the state.

Speaking in Jos yesterday during an interactive meeting on community safety, the Commandant stressed that the moral influence, cultural authority, and grassroots reach of these leaders position them as vital partners in crime prevention, conflict resolution, and early-warning intelligence gathering. He noted that NSCDC data from January to July 2025 show that the involvement of religious and traditional leaders contributed to over 40 successfully mediated community disputes, preventing them from escalating into violent clashes. These interventions, he said, were particularly effective in rural and border communities prone to land disputes, ethnic tensions, and reprisal attacks.

The Commandant explained that religious leaders command spiritual respect and can appeal to the conscience of their followers, while traditional rulers are custodians of culture and community norms whose words carry significant weight in their communities. When they speak, people listen, and when they mediate, warring parties are more likely to honour agreements. He emphasised that their grassroots influence helps in gathering intelligence, as village heads, district chiefs, pastors, and imams often receive first-hand information on suspicious activities before security agencies, enabling timely intervention.

According to him, religious sermons and palace arbitration sessions have been instrumental in calming tensions during market disputes, chieftaincy disagreements, and interfaith misunderstandings. He added that these leaders also mobilise communities for security awareness campaigns, neighbourhood patrols, and compliance with government safety directives. Their authority, both cultural and religious, ensures that security measures are received without resistance, helping to reduce mistrust between communities and security forces.

Isaku Musa cited recent examples, such as coordinated peace efforts in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Mangu LGAs, which were led jointly by NSCDC officers, traditional chiefs, and local clergy. These efforts secured the release of 12 kidnapped victims without ransom payments and facilitated the safe return of displaced families to their ancestral homes. He also revealed that community-based early-warning alerts championed by these leaders have led to at least 15 pre-emptive NSCDC operations in 2025, foiling planned attacks on farms, herders’ settlements, and local markets.

The Commandant reiterated the Corps’ commitment to inclusivity in security planning, stating that while weapons and equipment can secure physical spaces, it is the influence of religious and traditional leaders that secures hearts and minds. Without their involvement, he said, lasting peace would be far more difficult to achieve.