15,000 Zamfara, Sokoto women refugees in Niger Rep – NEMA

Over 15,000 refugees from Sokoto and Zamfara states mainly women and children are currently taking refuge in some communities of Niger Republic, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said.

Head of NEMA’s operations in Sokoto, Dr Kofoworola Soleye, said this Thursday at the stakeholders’ meeting on disaster management organised by the agency in Gusau, Zamafar state capital.

Soloye said the refugees were displaced from their communities in Isa and Sabon-Birni local government Areas of Sokoto state and Shinkafi and Zurmi local government areas in Zamfara state following security challenges.

He said the agency had already visited the refugees and conducted need assessment exercises towards supporting them and reducing their hardship.

“We have already reported back to NEMA headquarters and very soon the relief materials would be provided for them,” he said.

He said the meeting was aimed at discussing with all the stakeholders on various strategies of disaster management and control.

Soleye said stakeholders should focus on meetings from time to time so as to be updated on disaster management issues in the state.

In his remarks, Emir of Anka and Chairman of the State Council of Emirs and Chiefs Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, urged government to provide permanent security base and deploy more security personnel to rural communities in the state.

Ahmad said, “I have been saying this, the only way to tackle these problems is to provide enough security agents in rural communities. I am therefore appealing to security agencies to ensure deployment of their personnel to communities.”

He said bandits’ activities had resulted into many casualties in the state. “We have thousand victims of this insecurity, especially widows and orphans.”

The monarch commended NEMA for the meeting and called on the agency to focus on disaster-reduction activities than giving relief assistance to victims.

He thanked Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for providing various forms of assistance to the state especially in the health sector.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by stakeholders including traditional and religious leaders, NGOs, security agencies, the media and other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

…7,000 die in M/Belt, herders’ conflicts in 5 years

In a related development, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has said conflict between farmers and herders in the Middle Belt area resulted in an estimated 7,000 deaths over the past five years.

The USAID said the conflict also cost $13 billion in economic losses annually. 

A statement from the embassy of the United States stated that, “over the last four years, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Engaging Communities for Peace in Nigeria (ECPN) activity has worked to promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Nigeria’s Middle Belt states.”

The USAID further  said, “Incidents that may have once seemed manageable and isolated have escalated into large-scale disputes that have resulted in burnt villages, stolen cattle, destroyed farm produce, and violence against villagers.  

 “Since 2015, ECPN has worked to provide farmers and pastoralists the tools to peacefully manage disputes – by building community trust, economic interdependence and conflict monitoring through trainings on conflict management and interest-based negotiation, conflict prevention forums, and creation of community-led peace committees.

“Overall, more than 600 disputes –over grazing routes, seasonal access to water points, crop damage, cutting down of economic trees, water pollution by animals, and commerce – have been addressed peacefully in the communities where ECPN worked. 

 “Peace and reconciliation lie at the heart of USAID’s global approach to promoting stability and security in conflict-affected areas.

“The United States and Nigeria share the objective of reducing violence in the Middle Belt states by peacefully preventing and resolving farmer-pastoralist conflicts,” USAID’s democracy officer, Dr. Beatrice Reaud, said at the closing event.

It said communities brought together under ECPN with the support of the state governments developed quick impact projects to boost economic activity and a joint resource initiatives to promote sharing and mutual guardianship of diminishing natural resources, such as digging new water points, constructing market stalls and schools, rehabilitating health centers or building fences along grazing routes to farmlands, all of which brought communities together. 

Implemented by Mercy Corps, ECPN had helped rural communities in Nassawara and Benue states that recently found themselves at odds due to climate change, rising populations, and competition for dwindling resources.  

“The conflict has resulted in an estimated 7,000 deaths over the past five years and $13 billion in economic losses annually,” it said. 

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