Katsina lauds Mercy Corps’ farmers, herders locally driven peace initiatives
Participants at the conflict prevention and mitigation meeting in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State have lauded the initiative by the Mercy Corps’ conflict mitigation and community reconciliation in North West, Nigeria.
Mercy Corps in conjunction with International Organization for Migration and Centre for Democracy and Development and funded by the European Union engaged farmers and herders in Jibia to enhance community conflict mitigation among them.
The CMCR project titled “Community -Based meeting and peace dialogue, promoting locally-driven peace initiatives” on Thursday discussed issues affecting the community dialogue, challenges towards proffering possible solutions toward curbing the crises.
Participants at the meeting agreed that, following persistent conflicts, there is need for negotiation in the communities for the development to thrive and expressed interest in aiding reconciliation and development in Jibia communities just as it is also the priorities of the Mercy Corps and partners as well as government.
The initiative is expected to reduce crime rate, promote gender equality and human rights, preserve cultural heritage among the communities among other benefits.
Meanwhile, some of the participants decried population explosion in the border towns of Jibia as factors responsible for farmers and herders conflicts due to the porous border between Nigeria and Niger Republic.
Abubakar Umar, Kare Magama, Chairman Myeti Allah, while appreciating the efforts put in place by the facilitators in mitigation conflict, said that “We should make sure we are the representatives of the people.
Government attitude towards ending the conflicts was lackadaisical because whenever a suspect is arrested and handed over to security personnel, they will ask the Ardo to do whatever it pleases him. And, how can we do that when the crime actors know us and our family?
“Government should be decisive in dealing with this insecurity. They should also know that those behind this crime are strangers and they don’t care if the Fulani nation in Nigeria are wiped out from the faces of the world because they don’t care about us, Nigeria Fulani. This conflict has forced farmers out from their villages to urban cities.
On his part, Head of the Local Government Administration and Finance, Bishir Lawal, said that, “God willing, authority of Jibia will initiate peace building just as Mercy Corps to end the menace of farmers and herders clashes in communities. This peace mitigation is worth emulating by all”.
Also contributing, Ahmed Yau noted that, while Mercy Corps mitigates in conflicts, government on the other hand should address the issue of Climate change, poverty and insecurity which was the major concern most communities we are facing in Jibia.
“There is not enough rainfall hence government should provide an alternative especially on the irrigation system for those of us who in a safer communities to farm. Also, there are no job opportunities for our teaming graduates and poverty is bane of the day.”
