SUBMITTED
TO
OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
THE
PRESIDENCY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
JULY,
2014
Contents Page
Title
Page ---------------------------------------------------
Abbreviations --------------------------------------------------- ii
Executive
Summary --------------------------------------------------- iv
Introduction ---------------------------------------------------
Terms
of Reference ---------------------------------------------------
Objectives ---------------------------------------------------
Opening
Ceremony ---------------------------------------------------
Opening
Remarks ---------------------------------------------------
Goodwill
Messages ---------------------------------------------------
Declaration
of Conference Open ----------------------------------------------
Closing
Remarks ---------------------------------------------------
Plenary
Session ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
Presentation ---------------------------------------------------
Observation ---------------------------------------------------
Recommendations ---------------------------------------------------
Conclusion ---------------------------------------------------
List
of Appendices ---------------------------------------------------
Communique ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
One ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
Two ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
Three ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
Four ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
Five ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
Six ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
Seven ---------------------------------------------------
Paper
Eight ---------------------------------------------------
Interactive
Session ---------------------------------------------------
List
of Participants ---------------------------------------------------
ABBREVIATIONS
1. ADB -
African Development Bank
2. ATA -
Agricultural Transformation Agenda
3. AU -
Africa Union
4. CBOs -
Community Based Organisations
5. CORET - Confederation of Traditional Herder Organizations’
6. CSOs -
Civil Society Organisations
7. DFID - Department for International
Development
8. ECOWAP -
ECOWAS Agricultural Plan
9. ECOWAS -
Economic Community of West African States
10. EU -
European Union
11. FAO -
Food and Agriculture Organisation
12. FMARD - Federal Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development
13. FULDAN - Fulbe
Development Association of Nigeria
14. GDP -
Gross Domestic Product
15. GIS -
Geographic Information System
15. IDP -
International Development Partners
16. IFAD - International Fund for Agricultural
Development
17. IGP -
Inspector General of Police
18. LGAs - Local Government Areas
19. MACBAN - Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria
20. MBOSCUDA - Mbororo Social and Cultural Development
Association
21. MDA’s -
Ministries, Departments and Agencies
22. MOFDA - Mobgal Fulbe Development
Association
23. NASS - National Assembly
24. NSA - National Security
Adviser
25. NCNE - National Commission for
Nomadic Education
26. NGOs - Non-Governmental
Organizations
27. NHRC - National Human Rights
Commission
28. NLPD -
National Livestock Projects Division
29. NGO’s - Non-Governmental Organizations
30. NSRP - Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme
31. NVRI -
National Veterinary Research Institute
32. ONSA - Office of the National Security
Adviser
33. PARE -
The Pastoral Resolve
34. RAIP -
Regional Agriculture Investment Plan
35. TOR - Terms of Reference
36. TPI - Tabital Pulaaku
International
37. RBM - Reseau Billital Maroobhe
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY OF THE FINAL REPORT ON THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SECURITY AND
DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES OF PASTORALISM IN WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA
I. INTRODUCTION:
The
National Security Adviser (NSA) concerned by the rising violence and insurgency
in the country, and to avoid exploitation of the conflict between pastoralist
and crop farmers by violent groups, organized a 3 day “International Conference
on Security and Development Challenges of Pastoralism in West and Central
Africa” with an interactive session with community leaders and stake holders in
all the conflict prone zones. The theme of the conference is “The Role of
Pastoralists in Preventing Insurgency and Conflicts for Sustainable Peace and
National Security”. The conference was held at Kaduna from the 23rd
to 25th June 2014.
The
goal of the conference was the development of a comprehensive and widely
acceptable strategy for peace, security and stability in West and Central
Africa with particular emphasis on Nigeria. The objectives of the conference
were to:
1.
Identify key challenges facing pastoraralists
and other stakeholders and their consequencies on national security;
2.
Bring actors among the pastoralists, farmers, other natural resource users, the civil society, faith-based organizations, the media
and security agencies towards finding a lasting solution to the security challenges
associated with pastoralism in Nigeria and other West and Central African countries;
3.
Generate
practical and
actionable recommendations that will be implemented by Ministries, Departments and
Agencies of Government and other development partners, to improve
the pastoralist system
of livestock production to stem the aggravating
security challenges associated with resource use, resource management, cattle rustling and banditry;
4.
Mobilize all stakeholders to gain the
confidence and co-operation of pastoralists and farmers in tackling the menace of terrorism, insurgency and communal conflicts in
the country; and
5.
Share common experiences and best practices between Nigeria and the neighbouring countries like Cameroun,
Chad and Niger Republics.
II. THE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS:
1.
As part of the design to
successfully host the conference, the National Security Adviser set up a
Planning Committee that worked out the modalities for the organisation,
mobilisation and conduct of the conference. To accomplish its task, the
Committee invited major stakeholders in government and pastoralists
organizations West and Central African regions, Governments of several African
countries where pastoralism is practised. In Nigeria, Pastoralists and Farmer
organizations, Representatives of ethnic organizations/unions, faith based organizations,
civil society organizations, development experts, professionals in the
livestock sector, international development partners and other stake holders
were invited.
2.
The President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria represented by the Vice President, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, the Governor of Niger state and Chairman Northern
Governors Forum, the Governor of Kaduna State, the Acting Governor of Taraba
State, the Deputy Governors of Kano, Plateau and Zamfara state, Distinguished
Senators and Members of the House of Representatives, the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development, the Minister of Water Resources, the
Minister of Special Duties, the Minister of State for Defence, Service Chiefs,
Head of Para-Military agencies, senior civil servants, members of the
Diplomatic Corps, the ECOWAS Commission,
the European Union (EU), the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO),
International Development Partners, traditional rulers, academicians and other
professionals, the media as well as leaders from among the pastoralists and farmers
from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Mali and Senegal were all present.
3.
The Conference chaired by
the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr Akinwumi
Adesina, was declared open by the President, His Excellency Dr Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan GCFR represented by the Vice President, His Excellency Arc. Mohammed
Namadi Sambo, GCON.
III. PRESENTATIONS:
Eight
papers were presented in the 1st and 2nd days of the
conference after the opening ceremonies. Case studies of pastoralism in four
countries namely: Nigeria, Central Africa, Cameroon and Kenya were also
presented and discussed. Resource persons were drawn from high calibre
academics and professional groups who are experts in their fields.
IV. OUTCOME:
1. Discussions
and interaction held at the conference were incisive and revealing. Concerned
with the frequent conflict between pastoralists and farmers leading to loss of
lives and property, the growing incidents of cattle rustling, the increasing
constraints faced by transhumance populations in terms of grazing and watering
points, the changing patterns of resource management as well as the growing
trends of banditry, terrorism and insurgency, youths unemployment, inadequacy
of basic infrastructural facilities such as water and sanitation, human and
veterinary clinics, poor funding of nomadic education programme as well as conflict
with state actors in the maintenance of law and order, the conference affirmed
its commitment to examine and address the dynamics of these issues as well as
their security and developmental implications for Nigeria and the West and
Central African Regions.
2. The
interactive session also demonstrated the importance of consultation, dialogue,
constructive engagement in resolving conflict between pastoralists and farmers
as an enduring measure for an amicable resolution of conflict.
3. The conference also
discussed extensively on the challenges of implementing the ECOWAS protocol on
Transhumance of Livestock by member
countries and the challenges associated with it due to the porous nature of our
borders and limited personnel to man them.
4. The
urgent need for governments at all levels to take positive and necessary
measures to pre-empt, manage and amicably resolve conflicts in a timely manner
as they occur. The role of Governors, Local Government administration, Judicial
officers, traditional and community leaders, youth groups, women groups,
religious leaders are germane and important to maintaining law and order,
ensure inter-ethnic harmony and restoring public confidence in the sincerity
and ability of government to protect the lives and properties of its citizens.
5. The
Federal and State Governments, particularly in the conflict prone states must
take concrete steps to punish perpetrators of conflict within the provisions of
the law to serve as deterrence to potential offenders.
6. The apathy on the part of
the citizenry to volunteer information on criminal elements poses a serious
challenge towards law enforcement. Active community engagement and cooperation
in law enforcement is required for peace and stability. Security agencies are to
reinforce steps to guarantee confidentiality of information shared. Security
agents should design and put in place mechanisms to sustain public confidence in
law enforcement agencies and judicial process.
7. Some
of the major causes of the current security challenges arising from conflicts
between pastoralists and farmers are:
i) Inadequate
infrastructural facilities for grazing in designated grazing areas/grazing
reserves;
ii) Weak
justice system and the tendency to exploit pastoralist and rural farmers by
some security elements and judicial officers;
iii) Inadequate
involvement of traditional and community based leaders, as in conflict
resolution mechanism;
iv) An
emerging culture of intolerance, hate, bitterness and violence fuelled by
political leaders/elites by promoting religious and ethnic sentiments;
v) Non-implementation
of findings/recommendation of previous judicial commissions of enquiry;
vi) The
phenomenon of indigene/settler syndrome that creates animosity and heightens
tension between communities;
vii) Failure to support and compensate
pastoralists in the face of conflict and natural disasters;
viii) Inadequate
access to qualitative and functional education by pastoralist’s children to
acquire vocational skills; and
ix) Ecological
factors, climate change and consequent demographic movements into the
geographical zones.
V. CONCLUSIONS:
a). The
Conference firmly believes that if the recommendations contained in this report
are implemented to the fullest, most of the problems as associated with the
current security challenges between pastoralist and farmers would be minimized
to the barest minimum, if not completely eliminated.
VI. APPRECIATION:
a).
We wish to extend our appreciation to the President and Commander in-Chief of
the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, and the National Security Adviser for hosting the
conference.
b). The
Vice President, His Excellency, Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, GCON deserves
special commendation for his encouragement and support during the opening
ceremony.
c). We
are also grateful to all the Governors, Ministers, Members of the National
Assembly, Ministers, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, International Development
Partners, the ECOWAS Commission, the European Union, the Food and Agriculture
Organization, Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, members of the academia, leadership
of pastoralist and farmer organization that graced the occasion or sent
representatives.
d). The
role of the members of the planning and organizing committee is well
acknowledged and commended
e). The
staff of the Conference Secretariat are equally appreciated for their hard work
and commitment throughout the duration of the conference for the important
roles of taking the proceedings of the conference, which culminated into the
preparation of this report.
f). The
leading role played by all the security agencies towards the successful hosting
of the conference is gratefully acknowledged and appreciated.
Mohammed
Sambo Dasuki
National Security Adviser to the President
2nd July, 2014.
REPORT
ON THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT
CHALLENGES OF PASTORALISM IN WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
1.1. In response to the security challenges being
encountered in the country especially insurgency in parts of the country, inter-ethnic
and inter-communal conflicts and resource use conflicts, the Office of the National Security Adviser to the President, Abuja,
Nigeria organized a 3 day International Conference on Security and Development
Challenges of Pastoralism in West and Central Africa from 23rd – 25th
June, 2014 in Kaduna.
1.2. The theme of the conference was the “The Role of Pastoralists in Preventing Insurgency
and Conflicts for Sustainable Peace and National Security”. The well-attended conference attracted eminent
personalities and experts and professional groups from all walks of life. At the opening ceremony, The President, His Excellency, Dr.
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR was represented by the Vice President, His Excellency, Arc.
Mohammed Namadi Sambo GCON who declared the conference open. Also present were the Honourable Speaker House of Representative; Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri
Tambuwal, the National
Security Adviser; Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, Chairman Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Niger State; Dr Muázu Babangida Aliyu, Governor of Kaduna; Alhaji Muktar Ramalan Yero
and the
Ag. Governor of Taraba
State Alhaji Garba Umar, the Deputy Governors of Plateau, Kano and Zamfara States, Honourable Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development, Water Resources, Minister of State for Defence, the Minister of Special Duties, representatives
of Minister of Education and Minister of Police Affairs, Service Chiefs and
Heads of other security and para-military agencies. The National Human Rights Commission and other
agencies of government were also present. International organizations like ECOWAS, FAO, EU, NSRP,
DFID/NSRP and others were present or duly represented. Heads of Federal Agencies and Parastatals, the
academia, serving and retired military and para-military officers, serving and
retired Police Officers, delegations from Cameroun, Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina
Faso and Senegal, Women Groups, Traditional Rulers, the Clergy, Pastoralists and Farmer’s organizations such as, Miyetti Allah Cattle
Breeders Association (MACBAN), Tabital Pulaaku International, (TPI)
Confederation of Traditional Herders Organizations, (CORET) Reseau Billital Maroobhe,
, Mbororo Social and Cultural Development Association (MBOSCUDA), Pastoral Resolve (PARE), , Fulbe Development Association of Nigeria (FULDAN),
Mobgal Fulbe Development Association (MOFDA) , Kautal Hoore, Tiv, Birom,
Afizere, Anaguta, Penada Bwatiye and other ethnic groups.
2.0 OBJECTIVES:
The conference was meant to develop a comprehensive and widely acceptable strategy for peace,
security and stability in West and Central Africa. Specifically, the conference
objectives were to:
i. Identify
key challenges facing pasotaralists and other stakeholders and their
consequencies on national security;
ii. Bring
actors among the pastoralists, farmers, other natural resource users, the civil society, faith-based organizations, the media
and security agencies towards finding a lasting solution to the security challenges
associated with pastoralism in Nigeria and other West & Central African countries;
iii. Generate practical and actionable recommendations that will be
implemented by MDAs, to improve the
pastoral system in order to stem the aggravating
security challenges associated with resource use, resource management, cattle rustling and banditry;
iv. Mobilize all
stakeholders to gain the confidence and co-operation of pastoralists and farmers in tackling the menace of terrorism, insurgency and communal conflicts in
the country; and
v. Share
common experiences and best
practices between Nigeria and the neighbouring
countries.
3.0 OPENING CEREMONY:
The opening ceremony witnessed the presentation
of speeches and goodwill messages some of which are highlighted below:
3.1 OPENING REMARKS:
i. The National Security Adviser (NSA) in
his welcome address expressed his appreciation to all the distinguished
personalities and stressed that the conference is organized as part of the genuine
desire and felt need to urgently tackle the security challenges between the pastoralists and other resource users Nigeria and prevent
violent actors from hijacking the conflict to further destabilise the polity. The
NSA pointed this is part of the community engagement under the Soft Approach to
Countering Terrorism and Violent Insurgencies rolled out by his office.
The NSA further noted that government was not unmindful of the fact that the pastoralists
undertake seasonal movements basically in search of pasture, water and to
escape from diseases and conflicts. The movements are also influenced by
ecological, climatic factors and environmental factors related to their search for livelihoods across
countries in the western and central Africa regions. However, the spade of recurring conflicts associated with this tradtionally and
culturally known transhumance
movements and the wider security implications now calls for collective action to adopt a turn-around
strategy by taking a critical look at the challenges and its implications for national and regional security. The loss
of lives, destruction of properties and high incidence of internally displaced
persons are enormous and government at all levels would not allow this to continue.
The NSA charged participants therefore to
discuss and come up with genuine and practicable steps to be taken collectively
to address the intractable challenges once and for all to engender national,
regional and continental development. He finaly commended The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for
blessing the convening of the conference out of his genuine desire to ensure
harmonious existence and appreciated the security agencies for their sustained support and
collaboration in maintaining law and order.
ii. The Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina who was the Chairman of the occassion in his
speech, noted that
the theme of the conference was well thought-out and in tune with Agricultural
Transformation Agenda. The Livestock sub-sector is critical in ensuring food
security, which can
only be attained under an atmosphere of peace and stability. The conference is
therefore timely and visionary. He emphasised that transhumance movement was an age-long practice but today the wave of
violence associated with it poses a very serious challenge with grevious implications that necessitate a gradual transformation of
this mode of livestock production.
The Minister noted that government recognises the interplay of
limiting factors in transhumance ranging from encroachment to inadequacy of
infrastructural facilities in existing grazing reserves, blocked stock routes,
climate change, desertification, population growth, rapid urbanisation as well
as low level of extension services, meant that no meaningful development could be achieved under current system. There is
need to continue to transform it into a more viable form. The problem
associated with pastoralism he observed was a regional security issue and requires synergy
and collaboration with sister African countries to curb the problems. He therefore proposed that the challenges would be minimised
if not completely eliminated if the following measures were adopted.
a.
Transforming pastoralism into an economic venture rather than a way of
life for the nomads.
b.
Use of Global Positioning System and Satellite uplink in tracking the
position of animals to check transhumance movement of livestock and apprehend
rustlers.
c.
Undertake biometric registration of transhumance pastoralists with a
view to obtaining and keeping a data bank of the groups and herds to aid the
issuance of travelling certificate.
d.
Development of a comprehensive livestock information system and the
establishment of more grazing reserves to mitigate clashes between farmers and
pastoralists.
iii. The Kaduna State Governor; Alhaji Mukhtar
Ramalan Yero who was the Chief Host, observed that the ongoing aggressive urbanisation in most parts of the
country had become a
major threat not only to pastoralists but also to farmers, leading to a struggle
for grazing areas and farmlands. He stated the gathering that the state government had embarked on an expansion of facilities in the grazing
reserves and the provision of veterinary and livestock services and emphasised on the need to integrate the nomads
to enhance their invaluable contribution to economic growth and national
development. The Governor stressed that it was the responsibility of leaders at all levels to
take proactive measures to control and resolve conflicts and commended the Inspector General of Police for
setting up the Police Committee for Peace Building.
iv. The Niger State Governor and Chairman, Northern Governors Forum, His Excellency, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu noted that pastoralist’s movements were necessitated by the
desire to grow
their
stocks, which also poses serious challenges resulting in violent
conflicts. He suggested that far-reaching policy measures needed to be taken to ensure that this movement is always checked and the pastoralists ultimately
integrated. Other measures he recommended to be taken by states to address
the emerging security challenges arising from pastoralists and farmers conflict, include:
a.
Grazing Reserves and Stock Routes should be developed by putting all
the required facilities to optimise livestock production and also be protected
by gazetting and beaconing them.
b.
Establishment of Ministries of Livestock Development at the
state level to specifically handle livestock issues.
c.
Government should encourage and support pastoralists to own land for the
purposes of gradual sedentarisation.
d.
Government at all levels to embark on mobilisation and advocy among pastoralists and farmers on the need for
harmonious co-existence and restoration of the hitherto lost peaceful and symbiotic relationship between the two groups.
e.
Provision of vocational skills to check over-dependence on livestock as the sole means of
livelihood, and that
f.
The Nomadic Education programme should be re-invigorated and
strengthened through adequate funding to deliver on its mandate.
The Governor condemned the security challenges
arising from the wave of violence and stressed that Boko Haram was not synonymous with Islam and thus extremism
requires collective action to deal with.
v. The Honourable Speaker House of Representative in his address commended the Office of the National Security Adviser for organizing the conference and observed that the dimension of
conflicts existing today between pastoralists and farmers was too brutal, violent and unheard of in the last two
decades. He noted that government could not afford to allow it to continue unaddressed in the face of the numerous
challenges and insecurity culminating from insurgency. While herders move
around in search of water and pasture for their livestock to improve their
livelihoods, the colouration of the conflicts between pastoralists and farmers
as religious and ethnic had made the misunderstanding more explosive and too dangerous to be ignored. Considering the fact that the ECOWAS Protocol for free movement of
citizens of member countries in search of legitimate livelihoods had been compromised in the face of insurgency,
the Hon.
Speaker emphasised
that grazing reserves and stock routes should be protected to serve as buffer
and thus limiting frequent contact between the two groups thereby minimising
the incidences leading to displacement of persons and sacking of villages.
On the part of the media, the Honourable Speaker while calling for fair
reporting while highlighting the core challenges so as to promote peaceful and
harmonious co-existence, he urged stakeholders to critically examine the underlining issues with a
view to recommending appropriate measures to curtail the upsurge and dimension
the conflicts have assumed. He expressed the
willingness of the National Assembly to make laws in line with the informed
recommendations emanating from the conference.
3.2 GOODWILL MESSAGES BY STAKEHOLDERS:
i. His Royal Highness, the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris who was represented by the
Emir of Birnin Gwari, His Highness, Alhaji Zubairu Maigwari II said the continuous encroachment on grazing
areas, cattle routes and watering points were some of the serious factors triggering conflicts between pastoralists and farmers. He then urged traditional rulers to pay
greater attention to protecting the grazing reserves and stock routes to curb
the incidences of violent conflicts.
ii. The National President of Miyetti Allah
Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria commended the government for having
thought of the imperative
to convene the conference to discuss the security challenges emanating from the
wave of conflicts between pastoralists and farmers. He urged the conflicting groups to learn to co-exist and amicably
resolve any conflict by
tolerating one another. He lamented that the neglect of pastoralists and
pastoralism by successive governments over the years was responsible for the current development and appealed
for a greater attention to livestock development.
iii. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Muhammadu Magoro, attributed the escalating cases of violence to
migrating pastoralists and expressed the Senate’s great concern about the
development and called for understanding and tolerance.
3.3 OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE:
His Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan who
was represented by the Vice President Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, while declaring the
conference opened observed
that the timing of the conference was auspicious in view of the current
security challenges in the country in particular and the West and Central
African Religions in general. He acknowledged that pastoralism
was as old as agriculture, but that climate change and other developmental
challenges had aided in triggering stiff competition
for available natural resources.
The President noted that the level and
frequency of violent conflicts in some parts of the country was very alarming citing Kaduna, Benue, Taraba,
Nasarawa and Plateau states as worse hit thereby constituting serious threat to
security and national development. He highlighted that livestock production was a major means of income and wealth creation now being threatened by conflicts and cattle rustling. He emphasised that the agricultural
sector had contributed
an average of 40% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2011 and 2012 and currently employing about two thirds of the entire labour force
and had sustained its position as the highest
contributor to non-oil GDP, by contributing 47.17% in 2011 and 45.49% in 2012 respectively. The invaluable contribution of livestock to the
nation’s GDP and national development, he noted were well documented and stressed that livestock breeding
needed to be modernised and be seen more as a business that an age-
long- tradition to be bequeathed from generation to generation.
The President assured that his administration as part of its transformation agenda will revolutionize
and modernize the livestock sector for sustainable development and livelihoods.
To this end, he said, the Federal
Government had attracted investment
for the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) amounting to $88.5m from the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD) and $152.5m from the African Development Bank (ADB). He said dialogue must be used in the resolution of conflicts and assured
the conference of the Federal Government’s readiness to address the conflicts associated with pastoralists and crop farmers, which currently formed a serious national security concern. He also
pledged government’s commitment to implementing the recommendations from the
conference towards the realisation of sustainable peace, unity and national
security on the entire African continent. On this note, the conference was declared open.
3.4 CLOSING REMARKS:
The Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Ambassador Umar Farook Ka’oje
in his remarks expressed
appreciation to the National Security Adviser (NSA) for giving the Committee the opportunity to plan and organise the
conference. That members of
the Committee saw the seriousness with which the NSA
took the matter and therefore
they collectively handled the assignment as a call to national duty. He commended the foresight
of the NSA in convening the conference in the face of the insecurity problems
associated with the wave of conflicts across the country particularly violent
conflicts between pastoralists and farmers. He urged participants to support
the laudable initiative and take advantage of the forum to table all their
perceived grievances to enable the government join hands with all the resource
users to arrive at amicable and acceptable solutions to the unfortunate
developments.
4.0 PLENARY SESSIONS:
The plenary sessions were first by presentation and discussion of commissioned papers in line with the
conference objectives followed by an interactive session with selected stakeholders. While the former were
taken on days 1 and 2 along with the opening ceremony, day 3 was devoted to an interactice session with stakeholders. The summary of the
paper presentation are hereby presented as
follows:
Paper One:
ECOWAS Strategic Action
Plan for the Development of Livestock in West Africa and Cross-Border Transhumance:
Implications for Security and Development by Dr.
Viviane N. Iwar, Head of the Livestock Development at the ECOWAS Commission,
Abuja.
The paper examined the mandate given to the ECOWAS as
contained in Chapter IV, article 25 of the ECOWAS
treaty which mandates the commission to develop all aspects of agriculture. This was to ensure
food security, increase productivity, improve value addition and protect prices
of export commodities. The paper further
identified and discussed the RAIP goals and various programme as follows:
Regional Agriculture
Investment Plan (RAIP)
RAIP GOALS:
to modernize the agriculture sector to achieve food security in the perspective
of regional integration through the
following:
i. Promotion of strategic products for food
security and promotion of sovereignty
ii.
Promotion of an enabling
environment for agric-business
and agriculture development
iii.
Reduction of vulnerability
and promotion of the access to food for vulnerable population
iv.
Governance, coordination
and monitoring and
implementation of the ECOWAS.
The paper maintain
that RAIP programmes are in two categories, that is, RAIP
programme I and II, each with expected output towards strategic action for the
development of livestock.
The RAIP
programme I
OUTPUT 1.1
To ensure that West
Africa is able to meet most of its food needs through the promotion of rice,
maize and cassava.
Output 1.2
To achieve regional
imports of animal products and by products are substantially reduced through
the livestock systems and animal product systems and chain.
Output 1.3
To develop policies
and strategies for the sustainable management of fisheries resources are
defined and implemented.
RAIP programme II
On this part, it is to ensure that the
business environment for agri-food chains are improved throughout the sub-region through the following:
Outcome 2.1
Mmechanisms to help
adaptation to climate variability, climate change and integrated management of
shared resources are implemented at the regional level.
Outcome 2.2:
Information and decision
support system is operational.
Outcome: 2.3
Strenthening the capabilities of
regional stakeholders and institutions.
The paper further reviewed the livestock sector in West
Africa and made some comparable country analysis with emphasis on Nigeria’s
livestock sector as the basis to understanding the transhumance aspect
challenges associated with pastoralism.It argues that the livestock sector does
the following:
·
Contributes
to food and nutritional security;
·
Provides
livelihood in production, processing, marketing, storage, packaging and
distribution;
·
Is amenable
to diversification, provides inputs for industry-organic fertilizer, leather,
meat, milk etc.
·
It is
a source of draught power, transportation etc.
Strategic Guidelines
v Strengthened Veterinary Governance
The paper argues that strengthening veterinary governance has a
lot of advantages that is capable of turning around the livestock sector in
many ways such as:
ü Support
production;
ü Promote trade in livestock
and dairy;
ü Improve pastures and protect
grazing lands/transhumance routes;
ü Promotion of public private partnerships;
ü Strengthening data management, research
and training and
ü Support product
transformation through science and technology.
EXPECTED RESULTS
·
The promotion
of the livestock, meat and dairy sub sectors is expected to achieve the following:
·
Improve
animal health, access to livestock feed and improve performance of indigenous
breeds;
·
Support security for
transhumance and prevent/ resolve conflicts, this is through the development of
Trans–border arrangement and controlling transhumance and to promote a regional
transhumance;
·
Structure the animal
production sector via organizing and developing commercial activities, promotion
of autonomous markets;
·
Promotion,
processing and transformation of livestock products while also promoting livestock intra-regional trade;
·
Creation
of a favourable
business environment for the development of livestock, meat and dairy products, all to be achieved
through the promotion of science and technology, promotion of insurance and
financing schemes and promotion of gender and vulnerable persons involvement in
the sector.
Perspective on harnessing
Nigeria’s
livestock potentials:
The equally discussed the ECOWAS strategic Action Plan for
the development of livestock as it concerns Nigeria. While it identified the
gaps in meat and milk within ECOWAS states and Nigeria, it then looks at what
the strategic plan advocates for a better improvement by advocating for the
following:
·
A
holistic approach to the improvement of the livestock sector, with emphasis on
a gradual shift towards semi-intensification and intensification;
·
The ECOWAS meat and milk
value chain analysis report for Nigeria be looked at, with a view to implement
the recommendation for suggested models adopted by industry;
·
The ECOWAS transhumance
decision and regulation be effectively implemented by member states;
·
The use of transhumance
certificate be enforced by member
state;
·
Effective and sensible
implementation of the ECOWAS Free
Movement Protocol;
·
The implementation of the
civilian component of the ECOWAS conflict prevention framework with a programme
on facilitation of transhumance for security, that takes cognizance of GIS
mapping, early warning and early response, identification of traceability
delivery of quality veterinary services;
·
Continuing participatory,
multidisciplinary and inter-agency collaboration; and that since ECOWAS
has a market of 300 million
people, development of all livestock value chains in Nigeria would be useful for job
creation, income generation and reduction of foreign exchange flight on
imports.
The paper concluded
by saying that a well organized livestock sector among ECOWAS member states has
potential to support health and human security, alleviate poverty, create jobs
and generate incomes and reduce poverty amongst the people in the region.
Paper Two:
Insurgency, Terrorism,
Cattle Rustling: Security Challenges to Pastoralism and Implications for
National Security by Barr. A.B. Dikko, Honourable
Attorney General of Kebbi State.
The
paper began by identifying
the UNDP human development report 1994, which presented the concept of
human security to mean
a broad concept – a process of widening the range of people’s choices. Human
security he argues therefore to mean
that people can exercise their choices safely and freely – and can be confident
that the opportunities they seek today will not be lost
tomorrow.
The paper identified two
main aspects of human security:
·
Safety from such chronic
threats as hunger, disease and repression
·
Protection from sudden and
hurtful disruption in the pattern of daily life- whether in homes, in jobs or
in communities.
The many threats to human security differing for
individuals at different times, fall into seven main categories.
i)
Economic insecurity
ii)
Food insecurity
iii)
Health insecurity
iv)
Personal insecurity
v)
Environmental insecurity
vi)
Community and cultural
insecurity
vii)
Political insecurity
It
is important that we bear in mind that pastoralist in Nigeria are not
insurgents if
we understand insurgency to mean “an act of fighting against instituted
authority or the state”
No
research/analysis has been undertaken into or of police investigation reports
or security reports that will indicate legal challenges as to suggest what
legal solution one could proffer for the consideration of a conference such as
this.
In
examining the security challenges of pastoralism and its implication in
national security two of the challenges facing pastoralism today will need to
be closely examined.
(a)
Climate change whose major
manifestation is recurring drought, and famine, and the trend of this dynamic
towards increasing security in duration and magnitude
(b)
Land as a resource: The
dominant cause of conflict in relation to pastoralist in the last 20 years has
been over access to grazing land and water.
Regional
security and pastoralism
Pastoral issues are trans-boundary.
Thus when it comes to issue of regional security there are issues that cannot
be solved in isolation. There are, for instance, issues like animal diseases,
marketing, proliferations of small arms, ethnic conflict etc which are all
trans-boundary.
In areas where customary institutions
are robust as they do in many
parts of Nigeria and West African sub-region, development effort will wholly be
best focused on supporting adaptation to new physical and political realities.
Security
sector agencies and institution at the national and regional level need to
cooperate and work out policies that take into considerations the pastoralists
communities and their associations that provide leadership in implementing
measures that will counter insurgency, terrorism and cattle rustling.
Recommendations
1)
Review of legislation on
land, land use, land control, and development to recognize the rights of
pastoralist over land.
2)
Legislation should be
enacted on the protection of grazing reserve and cattle routes
3)
State government in Nigeria
should establish a separate government institutions that deal with pastoral
issues.
4)
There should be separate
budgetary allocation to pastoral issues.
5)
Legislation of
environmental protection and standards should recognize, reflect and
incorporate pastoralist good environment management practice.
6)
Protocols, treaties should
be promulgated recognizing regional patrol networks.
7)
There should be ECOWAS
patrols on movement of livestock across international boundaries in the region
8)
ECOWAS member states should
implement the treaty on the control of small arms and light weapons and
9)
Capacity building for Pastoralist
organizations and farmer organizations to adequately represent the interest of
their members at local, regional and continental levels.
Paper Three:
Pastoralism and Resource
Use: Challenges in Development and Management by Prof. Jerome Gefu;
Executive Director, National Animal
Production Research Institute (NAPRI) ABU Zaria.
The
potential of livestock to reduce poverty is enormous as livestock contributes
to the livelihood of more than two third of the world’s rural poor and a
significant minority of semii-urban
poor.
The
Zebu cattle is known to be the most dominant type found in the North West and
North Eastern part of the country. However, due to the effects of climate
change in recent years the “cattle belt” has steadily moved from the drier sub
arid zone to the sub humid zone of Nigeria. Consequently states situated within
the zone have recorded increased presence of pastoral producers in recent times
with all the attendant resource-use competition and conflicts associated with
land use.
Over
90% of Nigeria’s ruminant population is kept under transhumant pastoralism.
This is occasioned by the seasonal alteration in the availability of fodder and
water and well as the abundance of diseases including trypanosomiasis in the
high risk areas where otherwise fodder and water abounds.
The
rate at which pastoral resources are shrinking has precipitated serious
conflict between crop and livestock producers. The reason why there has been
such incidence of resource use conflict experienced in different parts of the
country is associated with the mobile nature of this category of pastoralists.
However many of them are settling where the natural and social environment is
conducive and supportive of livelihood.
Some
of the problems militating against government efforts at promoting livestock
production through settled pastoralism include: social cultural beliefs and
practice of herders; non regulation of herd/flock size of stock; poor stock
marketing system; weak linkages between herders and other stakeholders; poor
physical infrastructure; lack of dairy processing facilities among others.
Possible solutions are feasible through commercialized pastoralism. This calls
for a complete reorientation towards commercial production with a drive for
profit making.
Non settling of pastoralists
was largely responsible for
the current conflicts with farmers and declining productivity of the livestock
sub-sector. The situation is often further compounded as a result of weak
provision of essential services including extension, veterinary and human
health and educational services.
Access
to land as a resource has been constrained by a variety of factors, principal
among which borders
on policy, institutional and legal frameworks that are poorly developed or non-
existent hence inappropriate and unenforceable. Large scale investment on land
will deprive the farming and pastoralists populations of their land and could
lead to worsening food crises as attention could be diverted from staple food
production to export crop or fossil fuel production.
The
high points of the paper include:
1)
Need for government to
embark upon advocacy, mobilization and sensitization of members of the public
to recognize the negative implication of conflict and poor livestock
productivity in our nation’s economies.
2)
Mobilize and organize the
diverse pastoral communities to adopt improved techniques of livestock
production.
3)
Need for states and local
government to participate in the planning and implementation of an integrated
programme for the permanent settlement of pastoralists in their current
location in all parts of the state.
4)
There is the need to create
and gazette additional grazing reserves.
5)
State governments should
strive to implement the 1980 policy that requires states to acquire, gazette
and protect 10% of land for the purpose of pastoral production.
6)
Just as much as crop
farmers have access to basic needs as well as production inputs, pastoralists
should be reached with subsidies in terms of livestock production inputs and
marketing outlets.
7)
Government should
facilitate secured land access for all persons concerned. The law establishing
Grazing Reserves should be enforced to guarantee settlers leasehold so that
meaningful investment, such as pasture development could be made by settlers.
8)
Poor extension contact with
livestock producers should be addressed.
9)
The local system of
conflict prevention and management should be encouraged by formalizing it to
get the recognition of the local and state authorities.
10)
Access roads, schools,
water, veterinary and human health services should be made available to the
residents of grazing reserves.
11)
Communities that were in
existence prior to the establishment of grazing reserves (farming communities)
should be officially recognized as enclaves and provided for in future plans
grazing reserves developments. This will put to rest vexed issue of illegality
of the presence of these farming communities.
12)
Grazing Reserves should be
demarcated and allotted to pastoralist along family lines. Such demarcation and
allotment will ensure that allottees protect and better utilize and manage
patches of land allotted to their use.
13)
Undertake a comprehensive
review of all land legislation with a view to harmonizing and streamlining them
to better serve the needs of pastoral communities
14)
Establishment of a pastoral
relief agency to handle all matters of pastoral distress (emergencies and
disasters).
15)
Promote Public Private Partnerships
by compelling livestock companies in the state to contribute 10% of income
earned into a fund to be named pastoral endowment fund.
16)
States should lend active
support to the passage of proposed grazing reserve development bill at the
National Assembly.
Paper
Four:
Pastoralism, Compensation,
Indigene/Settler Dichotomy and Administration of Justice by Prof. Chidi
Odinkalu; Chairman of the Governing Board of the
National Human Rights Commission, Abuja.
The
paper posits that pastoralism as a profession was practiced by a number of ethnic
nationalities. Pastoralism as an age long occupation of the nomads could be
transformed from the present traditional system into a business or trade to
improve income levels of the practitioners. The practitioners are today
besieged with a number of challenges in carrying out their occupation. Arising
from this are complex issues associated with climate change (desertification), encroachment/outright
take-over of grazing reserves areas and stock routes by farmers and elites,
indigene/settler syndrome and poor justice system.
The
dimension of conflicts arising from the concept of Indigene/Settler dichotomy
is alien as the country’s constitution only recognizes citizenship. The profiling
of pastoralists who are citizens of the country living in some parts of the
country as settlers is limiting their full integration into the communities
where they had lived for decades.
The
infringement of the fundamental human right of this group of Nigerians is
partly responsible for triggering conflicts. These conflicts had degenerated into cycle of violence and were further fuelled by the undertone of religious and tribal colouration by
self seeking politicians to advance their selfish interests.
Pastoralists
are rarely supported and compensated in the event of losses suffered as a
result of natural disasters and violence.
Paper
Five:
The Role of Pastoralist Communities,
Associations in Peace Building and National Security: Country experience of
Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger Republic and Commonwealth Secretariat
There were four presentations under this paper each
looking at different countries, namely: Nigeria, Central African Republic,
Cameroon and Kenya as follows:
(A) The Nigerian
Perspective
by Prof. Mohammed J. Kuna.
In
the past two decades conflict between pastoralists and farmers which constitute
one of the most serious national security challenges have become ever more
frequent with enormous loss of life,
property and the displacement of thousands of Fulbe pastoralists. While the
conflicts are found virtually in all parts of Nigeria, they are more concentrated
in the central highland of
Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Nassarawa, Kogi and Kwara States
Forces
responsible for the continued and expanding conflict include:
·
Increased pressure on land
·
Changing land use patterns
due to climatic and ecological factors.
·
Politicization/criminalization
of conflict by the political class and criminal gangs.
Peace
building efforts showing the importance of community association and informal
channels of peace building in conflict management were discussed. Peace and
security were described to include wider issues of human security such as
health, education, resettlement and reintegration and economic empowerment all
of which constitute critical peace building activities. The role of the pastoralists’ communities and
associations in peace building as well as the associated challenges and
constraints were highlighted.
The
paper concludes by challenging both the state, pastoral communities and
development partners to collectively pool resources together to support efforts
at creating the conditions for peace through long term sustainable community
support projects for pastoralists.
(B) Central
African Experience by Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim
The
Central African perspective on the role of pastoralists communities and
associations in peace building and national security was discussed from the
point of view of the state’s role of infrastructural development, regulation of
law and provision of security and the pastoralists response to the extent to
which the state has performed its statutory role.
Current
crisis around the escalation of conflicts is more of a state crisis than the
society, thus solution to crisis should focus considerably on state building.
The
weight of the value in form of cattle in the pastoralists makes them highly
vulnerable to the crisis arising from state disintegration which is evident in
the high profile marginalization and social execution of pastoralists.
Breakdown
of state authorities leads to criminality and criminal gangs are known to
always look for values which are easily seen and snatched in the wealth of the
pastoralists. The pastoralists being targets of criminal actions and in a bid
to protect their value, often times revolt against a non performing state by
responding to criminal actions fatally.
This
most times also result in disintegration of the society and the community.
Unfortunately much of the discourse of the conference has been on the
pastoralists issues without a corresponding balance with the state’s inability
to perform its functions, the consequences of which include the pastoralists
response to states collapse.
(C) The Cameroon
Experience by Mbororo Social and Cultural
Development Association (MBOSCUDA)
The
Cameroon perspective on the role of pastoralist communities and associations in
peace building and national security was presented. By the representative of MBOSCUDA
which was established in 1992 and seeking to empower the Mbororo Pastoralist to
achieve sustainable and equitable development on their terms and to secure
their human, social and economic rights as valued active citizens of the
Republic of Cameroun.
In
response to the increasing conflict between farmers and grazers in Cameroun, a presidential
decree was signed creating the Agro-pastoral Commission made up of representatives
of government, farmers and grazers with the mandate of managing national lands.
The
Commission deliberates on cases of land use and management, farm damages, encroachments
etc. and the decisions of the Commission are enforceable by laws via prefectural
order.
However,
due to the poor funding of the Commission by government, parties in disputes
are made to fund the Commission and this has a lot of consequences for justice.
In
the light of this, MBOSCUDA promoted alternative conflict resolution mechanism
where farmers and grazers are at the centre of events deciding their problems
with trusted community members called Dialogue Platform members mediating for
an amicable settlement. This strategy
has succeeded in building trust and confidence between people who had lived as
enemies for long.
(D) The Kenyan Perspective/Experience by
the Representative
of Kenyan High Commission
to Nigeria
In
discussing the Kenyan experience attention was drawn to the fact that though there
is a sizeable population of nomads in the country, crop farmers are given
greater attention while pastoralism is given less attention, thus limiting the
pace of modernisation of the livestock sub-sector.
The
profiling of nomads as lawless and criminals by the security and media without
proper investigation is improper and should be addressed. The negative
stereotype has projected the nomads in bad light and set most communities
against them.
Paper Six:
Gender Dimension in
Conflict and Security Situations: The Role of Civil Society by Dr.
Hafsat Lawal Kontagora of Nigeria’s Teachers Institute, Kaduna.
Conflicts
of great magnitude afflict pastoralists resulting in wanton destruction of life
and property. This hinders the actualization of peaceful coexistence and
exacerbates the problem of insecurity. Violent conflicts destroy
infrastructure, disrupts social ties, diminishes the capacity of society and
subjugates them to poverty and strife as vital resources are diverted away.
In
these conflict situations, both men and women suffer the consequences severely
though differently. Nevertheless, little attention has been paid to whether and
how the conflicts and security issues affect the two genders differently. There
is therefore the need to study the gender dimensions in form of representative
planning and policy. The role of civil society organizations in advancing
representative security services, gender specific justice, therapy and conflict
resolution is worthy of deployment in mediation processes.
Paper Seven:
Education, Literacy and
Vocational Training for Pastoralists: Implications for National Security
by
Prof. Rashid Aderinoye Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic
Education, Kaduna.
The paper described the pastoralists and their
ways of
life and geographic distribution. It traced the historical development of
nomadic education in Nigeria generating discussion on the critical issues
pertaining to the programme and the various policy documents the programme
implementation is hinged on.
Unfortunately,
in spite
of governments initiative of establishing Nomadic Education Programme and an
agency under the Federal Ministry of Education to manage its implementation,
there are constraints bordering on inadequate funding, lack of commitment and
support at the state and local government levels. Weak collaboration between
the commission and other agencies and ministries with high stake on the
development of pastoralism despite the multi-sectoral approach prescribed for
nomadic education implementation further constitute a challenge to the sector. This was hampering speedy and adequate realisation
of goals. This neglect, no doubt has serious implication for national security,
as education cannot under this circumstance achieve its important role as an
instrument for development and national security.
The systematic implementation of the
Nomadic Education Programme since inception utilizing viable strategies and
approaches that will enable attainment of programme goals was discussed. The
paper contends that integrating nomads into national life through provision of
relevant, qualitative and basic functional education can only be achieved
through an honest support to the integrated and multi-sectoral approach adopted
in the Nomadic Education Model Centre development in gazetted grazing reserves.
The Nigerian experience of providing access to basic education to the nomads
has already been adjudged the best in Africa evidenced by the study tours
embarked upon by countries like Ethiopia and Chad.
Support was advocated among others in
the areas of improved funding and strengthening of the multi-sectoral approach
in NEP implementation so that relevant sectors in charge of provision of social
services can intervene in the reserves carved out for nomadic people to
encourage settlement, curtail movements and reduce violent clashes and
conflicts with the sedentary population. It contends that unless the education
and training problems confronting the pastoralists are considered as part of an
integrated development approach of all the sectors concerned, security of lives
and properties would hardly be assured.
Paper Eight:
The Role of Media in Shaping
Public Perception on Pastoralists, Insecurity, Peace Building and Conflict
Resolution by Mr.
Segun Adeniyi of Thisday Newspaper.
The paper first defined its task and that is to light a candle in the
darkness of national self-doubt and the media’s role in this process. It began
by observing that to understand the media and public perception in season of
insecurity, requires an understanding of what constitute the media as an
institution and what constitutes the sector. Clearly, the media consists of
something beyond the specific outlets that deliver news and information. It is
so amorphous that it encompasses everything from the universities that train
future journalists to the courts that protect their rights. In the broadest sense,
the media embraces the television and film entertainment industries, a vast
array of regularly published printed material, and even public relations and
advertising.
It argued that the mass media serves as a system for communicating messages
and symbols to the general populace. It is their function to amuse, entertain,
and inform, and to inculcate individuals with the values, beliefs and codes of
behaviour that will integrate them into the institutional structures of the
larger society.
Adeniyi posited that the "press" is supposed to be a most serious
member of that media family, focusing on real life instead of fantasy and
serving the widest possible audience. A good generic term for the press in the
electronic age is "news media." The emphasis in this definition is on
content, not technology or delivery system, because the press can be found
these days on the Internet, the fax lines, or the airwaves. The terms
"media" and "press" will be used interchangeably in this
presentation, being contextually co-terminous. On the other hand, public
perception can be seen as the difference between an absolute truth based on
facts and a virtual truth shaped by popular opinion, reputation or even
prejudices. To underscore this point, let us look at the challenge of the
pastoralists.
The paper further argues that in the normal cause of the day, pastoralists
leading their animals to grazing lands and watering points, inevitably trespass
on farmlands, damage and destroy crops. This leads to instant retaliation and
quarrels which sometimes degenerate into large scale violence, loss of lives
and property. Reporting such occurrences require sensitivity while analyzing
same requires even more. But when professionalism takes flight in reporting
crises, distortions flowing from political, ethnic or religious prejudices take
centre stage. Unfortunately, this cannot be denied by media practitioners in
covering the tension between farmers and pastoralists.
It was observed that though the media has an enormous responsibility in crisis
situation, in every country, it is the responsibility of the leadership to
protect the political, social, and economic interests of the citizens.
Leadership involves finding solutions to difficult problems, ensuring stability
of the polity, and guiding the society to prosperity. But a large number of the
political leaders of Nigeria today lack the vision, the passion, and the
character to effectively deal with the security challenge confronting us.
In Nigeria, the
paper posits, the
media are sometimes used as proxies in the battle between rival political
groups, in the process sowing divisiveness rather than consensus, hate speech
instead of sober debate, and suspicion rather than social trust. In these
cases, the media contribute to public cynicism and democratic decay.
The paper recommends that with regards to the challenging security
situation, there was need for close of collaboration between the media and the
security apparatus of the state. The problem, however, is the perception by security
agencies over the years that they have a monopoly of patriotism. The paper also
recommends that at a time like this therefore, the media should not yield their
platform to hate mongers whose polarizing rhetoric could only push our plural
society towards its delicate fault-lines. Collectively, both the media and the
government should begin to fashion out the requisite strategies necessary to
overcome the human and institutional barriers that for decades have held the
country back, with a focus on accountability and good governance. In this age
of terror, we have to collaborate to chart a new course and embrace a more
productive and cooperative form of engagement.
Day Three
Interactive
Session with selected
Stakeholders, Active Community Leaders, and Delegates from Conflict
Prone zones (Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba, Benue, Bauchi, Plateau,
Nassarawa, Zamfara State and other states.
An
interactive session was held with selected stakeholders, active community leaders,
and delegates from conflict prone states namely; Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Gombe,
Taraba, Benue, Bauchi, Plateau, Nassarawa, Zamfara States and other states. In
the course of the interactive session, key issues and problems responsible for
conflicts between pastoralist and other resource users were discussed
extensively.
The
summary of the issues raised and discussed were as
follows:
1.
Inadequacy of grazing
reserves/areas coupled with encroachment of existing grazing reserves and
blockage of stock routes.
2.
Non enforcement of grazing reserve and stock
route laws.
3.
Killing and maiming of
pastoralists by vigilante groups and bounty hunters.
4.
High incidence of banditry, cattle rustling
and the fear of infiltration of violent elements who may use the occupational
conflicts between pastoralists and farmers to further destabilise the body
polity.
5.
Allotting of grazing
reserves areas by government officials for other uses detrimental to pastoralists.
6.
Alleged indiscriminate
arrest, detention and extra judicial killings of pastoralists by security
agents on the allegation that they are terrorists and insurgents
7.
Discrimination against pastoralists
and lack of access to basic infrastructural facilities and denial of access to
support and stigmatisation as settlers in some communities and states.
8.
Abduction, sexual abuse, demands
for ransom and killing of pastoralists women are regular occurrences.
9.
Lack of support and
compensation for affected pastoralists in times of crises and natural
disasters.
10.
In adequacy of qualified
teachers for provision of quality tuition to nomadic children.
11.
Extortion of pastoralists
and denial of justice by law enforcement agents
12.
Diminishing carrying capacities
of some grazing reserves areas due unavailability of pastures arising from over
grazing and advancing desertification from climate change. Denied of access to
Fadama areas because of the introduction of dry season farming.
13.
Labelling of fleeing
pastoralists from conflicts and insurgency as insurgents thereby resulting
in unjust detention and persecution.
14.
Influx of undocumented transhumance
pastoralists who are unaware of the cropping seasons in different ecological
zones.
15.
Insecure land tenure, blockage/encroachment
of stock routes and grazing areas.
16.
Pastoralist’s involvements in accidents
on the high ways in the course
of migration due to blockage of stock routes and exposing them to motorists
demand for damage to repairs.
17.
Lack of early warning and response
system to conflicts.
18.
Politicisation of pastoralist’s and farmer’s conflicts by the elites
19.
Erosion of traditional
ruler’s powers in conflict resolution resulting in extortion of pastoralists by
other intermediaries.
20.
Influx of refugees and the
resultant over stretching of existing facilities.
21.
Pastoralists lack of access
to education and social services
22.
Kidnapping of pastoralists
and demand for ransom before release
6.0 OBSERVATIONS
Arising
from the extensive discussion of the papers presented as well as the comments
raised major observations were made. These include:
1.
There
is an upsurge in conflicts between
pastoralists, farmers, and other groups engaged in
other forms of production resulting
in violent conflicts, loss of lives and
properties.
2.
There is the urgent need to take pro-active
measures to address the exploitation of
conflicts between natural resource users by other violent actors to destabilize
the peace, economic stability and security of the country and the region;
3.
The tranhumance production system is the main source of livelihood to a majority of the
people of West and Central Africa and contributes greatly to the economy of these
regions. This system is now under threat from a complex of factors, climate
change, population growth, ecological, economic, cultural
as well as political factors.
4.
The
various initiatives and
interventions by governments in
Nigeria in the pastoral and livestock sub-sector to address developmental and security issues have not been fully successful. This necessitates the need for new structural and
better alternative approaches to
addressing the broad issue of human security for pastoralists;
5.
The
growing incidence of wrong perception, misrepresentation and stereotyping of
pastoralists and pastoralism in public
discourses, which goes a long way
to shaping a negative image of the
pastoralists;
6.
Government,
the pastoralists,
agro-pastoralists, farmers, other natural resource users, civil society,
organizations, faith-based
organizations, prominent
community leaders, women and women groups, the youth groups, traditional
institutions and the media, have major and strategic roles to
play to ensuring the transparent
administration of justice and the peaceful
resolutions of disputes through
mediation and advocacy between pastoralists
and their neighbours.
7.
Some
States in Nigeria have evolved a community-based
“all involved” alternative dispute resolution mechanism that has successfully
relied on community-based justice systems to resolve conflicts between
pastoralists and farmers.
8.
National
agencies responsible for development, education, literacy and vocational
training programmes of pastoralists play crucial roles in the development of
pastoralist communities as well as in ensuring national security.
9.
There
is need for Nigeria to get on board regional and continental livestock
development plans to develop the livestock to realise its full potentials.
10.
Despite
the fact that conflict and insecurity affects men and women,
little attention has been paid to the gender dimension of the impact and
resolution.
11.
There
is inadequate media engagement in understanding pastoralist issues.
16.0
RECOMMENDATIONS
Arising from these observations, the
conference recommended as follows:
i.
That
the State, Local Governments, CSOs, traditional institutions. Leaders of
pastoralist and farmers should be involved in peaceful resolution of conflicts and effective and transparent
administration of justice to achieve an enduring peace between pastoralists and farming communities hence the need to replicate the Gombe and
Enugu State peace building efforts in other states.
ii.
The
police should be proactive in
recognising and addressing security challenges involving pastoralists so as to
avoid the manipulation and hijacking of the situation by violent actors which
could further exacerbate the security challenges.
iii.
Nigeria
should buy in to the ECOWAS
Commission Livestock Strategic Action Plan for the Development of
Livestock in West Africa which includes the ECOWAS Transhumance
Certificate and strengthen the
regional Livestock trade as well as implement
the Transhumance Protocol and Regulations, and the Protocol on Free
Movement of Goods and Persons.
iv.
The
need for Federal Ministry of Information, the National
Orientation Agency and other agencies to create a platform to re-orientate
the print and electronic media on the need for balance reporting of crisis and
conflict involving pastoralists and farmers.
It has become imperative to have media outfit with national outlook to
balance the sensation and overzealousness of private and foreign media
stations.
v.
The
need to revisit the
establishment and management of
Grazing Reserves systems with a view to gradual establishment of ranches with improved livestock practices for quality. Introduction
of livestock tracking and biometric
registration of pastoralists as well as the creation of cross-border buffer
zones and development of a new satelite technology for mapping out carrying
capacity to sustain both the environment and monitor the infiltration of
pastoralists by insurgents and criminals.
vi.
Diverse
pastoral communities should be mobilized and trained to adapt to modern and improved techniques of livestock
production that will encourage
sedentrization. This also requires the
expansion, acquisition and making of the State governments to gazette and protect all grazing
areas/grazing reserves in
their States and Local Governments.
vii.
Review
and strengthen the relevant other related Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), towards the literacy programmes, education and vocational training for pastoralists for easy mobilization towards modernizing the pastoral
sector.
viii.
Conduct
studies to generate data on gender dimensions in conflict and security
situations among the pastoralists to aid planning and policy formulation as it
affects conflict resolution, gender specific justice, therapy and compensation.
ix.
Nigeria
should collaborate with her neighbours in areas of information sharing concerning pastoralists movements to enhance security.
x.
States
and LGAs should be more responsive to the needs of pastoralists, farmers and
other natural resource users to prevent and resolve conflicts and security
matters.
xi.
Given
the interconnections that the pastoral production system, the Conference called
for a comprehensive livestock sector review to identify, plan and implement
short, medium and long term programmes that can address some of the
inadequacies in the sector and integrate pastoralists into modern production
systems and the market.
17.0 CONCLUSION
The
Conference was timely and a well thought out plan towards solving the security
challenges between the pastoralists and farmers in West and Central Africa
generally and Nigeria in particular. Participants were not only highly
impressed by the level of organization and coordination but the logistics were
supportive that made it entirely a remarkable success
Drawing
participants from all works of life including the high and low in the society
with the single aim to discuss a common problem, the resource persons were
highly informed in their chosen profession. The discussions were frank and open
and far reaching, which informed flexibility and participation to the fullest.
Almost every participant left with satisfaction and their hopes were raised to
high levels that this time, government is not only willing but committed to
solving the problem associated with the pastoralist/farmer conflicts which is
now taking a dangerous dimension in Nigeria and the West and Central African
regions.
The
conference appreciated and commended the Federal Government, the National
Security Adviser; for successfully organizing and holding the conference. The
conference if the recommendations proffered are implemented to the fullest,
most of the problems associated with the current security challenges between
pastoralists and farmers would not only be minimized to the barest minimum and
the risk of violent actors hijacking or radicalizing elements in the resource
use conflict will be eliminated.
Dated
at Kaduna this ………..day of ……………………………….2014.
