Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State has identified fair treatment of all groups struggling for land resources, including farmers, herders and fishermen as the solution to banditry in the North.
Bagudu, while featuring on Arise TV, on Thursday, noted that past experiences indicated inclusion as the main driver of peace and prosperity, thus, all groups competing for land resources should be treated fairly.
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“Banditry, which might have causes and originated from lack of inclusion or perception of that non-inclusion, can be dealt with by punishing criminals and at the same time focusing on the bigger challenge in ensuring that any groups do not feel angry.”
According to him, Kebbi, which is the safest state in the North West, was able to maintain peace among all groups by pushing for an inclusive and localised mechanism for conflict resolution, adding that states or communities that have evolved ways in dealing with conflicts tend to contain whatever anger or agitation more easily.
“There is a conflict between these occupations; farmers, pastoralists and fishermen because they are all relying on fixed resources, landmass and to some extent, water resources.
“If the pressure on all these resources by the different components of the agricultural sector is not well managed, it can occasionally lead to conflict-causing behaviour which can manifest in many different forms and keep worsening, especially coupling with the existence of drugs problems and small arms proliferation,” he said.
