The Director General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr Joseph Ochogwu, has said the proliferation of light arms is a critical factor contributing to the violence witnessed in farmer-herder conflicts.
Ochogwu said this while speaking at the “National conference on the management of farmer-herder relations in Nigeria: Creating a path to sustainable peace”, in Abuja on Tuesday.
Represented by Dr Emmanuel Mamman at the programme, the IPCR Director General said addressing the issue of arms proliferation is crucial in achieving long-term peace and stability in Nigeria.
” These weapons, readily available and easy to acquire, escalate the level of brutality and make peaceful resolution more challenging.
“Addressing the issue of arms proliferation is crucial in achieving long-term peace and stability in Nigeria, requiring collaboration between national security agencies and local communities,” he said.
He also said climate change and misinformation had intensified the conflicts between farmers and herders in Nigeria.
“False narratives and rumours often fuel ethnic and religious tensions, leading to further violence between farmers and herders. It is crucial for us to actively promote accurate information and cultivate a culture of understanding and tolerance amongst Nigerian citizens.
“Furthermore, underlying ethno-religious tensions cannot be ignored when discussing the farmer-herder conflicts” he said, adding that building bridges between different communities is paramount in mitigating conflicts and creating a harmonious society.
Speaking, the National President, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN), Mr. Baba Ngelzarma, represented by Adamu Toro, said the members of the association were one of the beneficiaries of this initiative.
He lamented that the Sahel was losing substantial land to desertification, saying nothing was being done by the government.
Ngelzarma said sometimes when they were trying to find peace, government policies exacerbated the conflicts.
He said government policies including the fadama farming programmes, emphasising bush clearing meant some of the stakeholders would be pushed out, calling on the government to sit down with stakeholders to find a way forward.
On his part, the chairman of the occasion, Amb. Magagi Ahmed, said resolving the issue between farmers and herders is pertinent to ensuring peace in the country, regretting that lives and livelihoods had been lost in conflicts.
He said the government must explore innovative approaches to tackle the root cause of the crisis.
