The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has reaffirmed its commitment to peace-building ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Ag Director of the Bauchi State office of NOA, Adamu Umar Sarkinyara, made this assertion at the 2026 International Day of Peace celebration in Bauchi. He stressed that there is a renewed commitment to sustainable peace before, during and after the 2027 general elections. The event was organised by the NOA Bauchi State Directorate in collaboration with Universal Peace Solutions and Ambassadors of Peace.
NOA Bauchi has outlined a three-phase strategy to achieve sustainable peace. For pre-election campaigns, the agency will intensify sensitisation on Continuous Voter Registration and PVC collection. It will also campaign against Sara-Suka thuggery, drug abuse, hate speech, fake news and vote buying. The agency will engage traditional rulers, religious leaders, Miyetti Allah, market associations and motor parks to preach peace.
During the election, NOA Bauchi will deploy its Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMOs) to polling units and collation centres as peace monitors and voter educators. The COMOs will preach calm, obedience to INEC and security agencies, and acceptance of election outcomes. The agency will also partner with BRC, Globe FM, NTA Bauchi and social media influencers to counter fake news in real time under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
After the election, NOA Bauchi will commence peace-building and reconciliation in communities affected by electoral divisions. The agency will engage winners and losers to use lawful channels and work with the Bauchi State Peace Building Agency, traditional institutions and faith leaders to heal wounds and sustain peace. Adamu Umar Sarkinyara stressed that sustainable peace in Bauchi State requires addressing root causes of conflict.
The NOA Bauchi is implementing several initiatives to promote peace, including the CLHEEAN campaign, Early Warning and Early Response mechanism, Peace Clubs in schools and Weekly Situation Reports. The agency is working with various stakeholders, including the representative of the Emir of Bauchi, Dankaden Bauchi, Alhaji Aminu Yakubu, and the Conservator-General Bauchi State, Dr Mohammed Nasir Yusuf.
Other stakeholders have committed to partner with NOA Bauchi under the SPSC Framework, including Ambassador Emmanuel U. Durkwa and the representative of Nigeria Police Zone 12, Mohammed Abubakar Jalinge. They pledged to take peace messages to markets, schools, worship centres and communities across Bauchi State. The summit focused on investing in peace at all levels as a prerequisite for national development.
The event was chaired by Chairman of Zangon Kataf LGA, Kaduna State, Engr Joseph Gaya Bege Nakowa, and co-chaired by Chairman of Toro LGA, Bauchi State, Hon Abubakar Ibrahim Dembo. The Chairperson of Zangon Kataf LGA, Engr Joseph Gaya Bege, commended Kaduna State Governor, Sen Uba Sani, for his security efforts since the Zangon Kataf crisis, noting that national orientation is critical to national cohesion ahead of 2027.
Key points
- The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has reaffirmed its commitment to peace-building ahead of the 2027 general elections using its Structures Platforms Strategies and Coordination (SPSC) Framework.
- NOA Bauchi has outlined a three-phase strategy to achieve sustainable peace, including pre-election campaigns, election and post-election phases.
- The agency is working with various stakeholders to promote peace and address root causes of conflict in Bauchi State.
