Stakeholders in Plateau State on Tuesday launched a landmark roadmap to resolve conflicts between farmers and herders in the state.
This came even as gunmen on Tuesday night stormed Rim Village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed two persons.
Over 11,000 to 12,000 people have been killed in Plateau State over the past two decades, with over 420 communities attacked and thousands displaced.
The violence, primarily between farmers and herders, has led to widespread destruction and loss of livelihoods
A Fact-Finding Committee, established by the current administration led by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, had attributed the violence to a mix of factors, including competition for land, historical grievances, and ethnic mistrust.
Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of the roadmap, which took place at the corporate headquarters of the Plateau State Peace Building Agency in Jos, the state capital, the Director General of the Agency, Dr Julie Sanda, represented by the Director of Programmes, Nantip Joseph, described the launch as a welcome development and a major step towards promoting peace in the region.
She emphasised the need to address recurring tensions between farmers and herders, which have adversely affected many communities in the state.
“The focus has been on farmer -herder because that has been the narrative that has dominated the focus on Plateau state and other affected states. As an organisation, HiiL can secure funding from SPRiNG to implement this component, which is why this document is being launched with a particular focus on preventing farmer-herder conflicts. There has been a lot of conversation around this conflict between farmers and herders in Plateau, and through this launch, we must sustain the conversation with the aim of finding a solution to the issues,” the DG said
Deputy Team Leader for SPRiNG, Priscilla Ankut, noted that the guideline is part of efforts to improve relationships between farmers and pastoralists, not just in Plateau but also in Kaduna, Benue, and Katsina states.
“Our programme is working to promote peace in the community and help them to develop resilience to climate change. Based on our research, we realise that some of the stressors that are occurring in our communities, leading to the resort to violence, are related to the use of natural resources, including land. We have seen that there is significant tension between farmers and herders, and many of these issues go unaddressed. So our contribution to this, which is being implemented by HiiL, will help improve relationships between farmers and pastoralist groups on the Plateau.
“This is not limited to Plateau. It is also being implemented in Kaduna, Benue, and Katsina states, where we find tensions around the use of natural resources, which often negatively impact communities.
“So basically, this guideline is intended to equip community actors with the tools to prevent and resolve conflicts related to natural resources, especially land. We hope that our contribution will lead to reduced violence in our communities and also lead to management of disputes in ways that are fair, just and transparent for all parties,” she said.
The Country Representative of HiiL, Ijeoma Nwafor, explained that the guideline combines global best practices with localised research, involving stakeholders from farmers and herders to traditional and religious leaders.
“The document is different because we are sensitive to the fact that grammar is not the solution to the world’s problems. We have a lot of pictures to help,” she said.
Nwafor emphasised the importance of focusing on human experiences and communication in conflict resolution, saying, “Conflicts often arise from the stories we have been told from birth… What this document tries to do is bring people back to the human effect.”
The guideline, developed with support from the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) and funded by the UK Department for International Development, focuses on accessible and affordable solutions to address land-related disputes.
Our correspondent reports that the guideline launched in Jos on Tuesday aims to equip community actors with tools to prevent and resolve land-related conflicts, promoting fair and transparent dispute management.
Meanwhile, Gunmen on Tuesday night stormed Rim Village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed two persons.
Some villagers who confirmed the attack to PUNCH Online in Jos on Wednesday said that two others were also injured during the incident, which saw the gunmen engage in a sporadic shooting that lasted for several minutes.
“The attackers invaded the Rim community around 10 30 pm, firing gunshots indiscriminately before fleeing into the surrounding bushes,” one of the villagers, John Sati, said.
According to Sati, the two injured victims were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Movement, Rwang Tengwong, who also confirmed the attack, lamented the situation, saying the community was thrown into panic by the sudden attack.
“Gunmen stormed Rim Village around 10 pm on Tuesday and opened fire sporadically. As of now, two people have been confirmed killed, while two others sustained injuries and were rushed to the hospital,” Tengwong said.
He described the attack as another sad episode in the recurring insecurity plaguing parts of Riyom and other communities in Plateau State, calling on security agencies to intensify patrols and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Efforts to reach the spokesman for the Plateau Police command, SP Alfred Alabo, to comment on the incident were unsuccessful, as his phone indicated that it was switched off.
Leave a comment