General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation ENDURING PEACE, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, on Tuesday held security stakeholders forum in Southern Kaduna just as he launched agricultural intervention initiatives as part of guaranteeing a peaceful farming season.
The agricultural intervention and meeting, which is part of multi-faceted strategy to boost a peaceful 2026 agricultural cycle, is also aimed at promoting harmonious coexistence among the diverse ethnic groups in Southern Kaduna.
General Oyinlola stated that “this renewed commitment bridges the gap between security oversight and economic empowerment, establishing a firm foundation for stability across the region’s fertile landscapes.”
The GOC and OPEP Commander, represented by Chief of Staff of the Operation, Brigadier General Mohammed Senlong Sule, addressed a diverse assembly of traditional rulers, religious leaders, and youth representatives from Jama’a, Kaura, Kauru, Zango Kataf, and Kwoi in Jaba Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.
Speaking on the theme of deepening collaboration to consolidate security gains, General Oyinlola noted that a thriving society depends entirely on mutual tolerance, warning that insecurity is the primary driver of poor harvest seasons. While acknowledging that the current relative calm in Southern Kaduna is the direct result of deliberate conflict mitigation and community cooperation, the GOC identified emerging threats that require collective vigilance.
He specifically pointed to the illegal manufacturing of arms and the increased influx of cattle into farming zones as triggers for farm destruction and reprisal attacks. To address these challenges, the military is advocating for a harmonized relationship between farming and herding communities to protect national food security and social cohesion.
In a significant non-kinetic intervention approved by the Chief of Defence Staff, Operation ENDURING PEACE distributed over 760 bags of fertilizers to selected farmers across the 5 Local Government Areas.
This initiative, organized and sponsored by the GOC, is designed to boost agricultural productivity and demonstrate that the military’s mandate extends beyond combat to the economic well-being of law-abiding citizens. By providing tangible support to the local economy, the military aimed to reinforce the bond between the military and the civilian population.
In his welcome address, the Commander Sector 7, Operation ENDURING PEACE, Colonel Dele Fapohunda, reiterated during the summit that hostility is an ineffective approach to dispute resolution. He urged all parties to utilize community-based conflict resolution mechanisms and reaffirmed that security agencies remain neutral arbiters dedicated to upholding the Constitution.
Colonel Fapohunda emphasized that lasting peace and stability relies heavily on the local population’s willingness to provide credible and timely information to security forces.
On his part, the Chairman of Jama’a Local Government Area, Honourable Peter Tanko Dogara, called for a mutual understanding between farmers and herders and committed to holding periodic engagements with local chiefs. He assured stakeholders that his leadership would deploy sustained dialogue mechanisms to ensure the upcoming planting season remains crisis-free.
The engagement concluded with a collective call for a community-driven code of conduct to guide interactions between socio-economic groups, ensuring a productive 2026 wet season farming for all.
