Farmers and herders in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State have pledged to embrace dialogue to allow farming activities to thrive and bolster peaceful coexistence.
They made the pledge on Thursday in Yantumaki at a “Community-based Meeting and Dialogue”, which was organized by an NGO, Mercy Corps, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
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The meeting was aimed at promoting a locally-driven peace initiative, under a pilot project “Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation in North-West”.
The project is currently being implemented in Batsari, Danmusa, Jibia and Kankara local government areas of the state.
Danmusa is among the LGAs worst affected by insecurity in the state apart from Safana, Faskari, Dandume, Sabuwa and Dutsin-ma LGAs.
The Head of Local Government Administration, who represented the council’s Chairman, Alhaji Iyal Yahya, thanked mercy corps for the gesture and assured full support of the council in any move aimed at bringing peace back to the area.
He called on the residents to actively participate and embrace the dialogue, because “no development can be achieved without peace.”
Yahya said that following some steps taken by the stakeholders under that project, some farmers can now be seen in their farms working unlike before.
He, therefore, urged traditional and religious leaders to assist in sensitising people to desist from taking law into hands.
“People should stop taking law into their hands, but should report cases to the relevant authorities for prompt action.
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“If there is peace, there will be development, our children will also go to schools and learn,” he stressed.
On his part, the Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in the area, Kabir Musa, said that following the introduction of the project, they now enlighten their members on the peace programme.
“Before now, if we talk to some of our people on the dialogue initiative, they will say forget about it.
“But now, they are contributing positively to restoring the peace. We are also taking measures on our own to ensure peace returns to the area so that everyone can go for his/her legitimate activities freely.
“So, we are happy for that and we will continue to contribute to the peace building so that farmers can go to their farms and herders come to the communities without any fear, ” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Imam of Danmusa, Malam Aminu Adamu, said that there has been a positive development due to such initiatives.
“In the past 11 days, there has been a good relationship between the two parties in the area.
“We can see farmers working in their farms in various places and herders coming to communities for their normal legitimate businesses freely.
“Such initiatives are good hence the need for its sustainability,” he emphasised.
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The cleric urged for the inclusion of drug abuse enlightenment because most of the perpetrators of criminal acts are drug addicts.
In her remarks, the mercy corps representative, Hajiya Maryam Halliru, appreciated the participants for attending the meeting to ensure peace in the area.
