ECOWAS Parliament Calls for Action on Farmer-Herder Conflicts

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament has urged for coordinated regional action to mitigate farmer-herder conflicts and prolonged internal displacement, drawing lessons from Nigeria's situation. This call was made by Senator Barau Jibrin (Kano North), the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, during a presentation titled “Strategies for Addressing Internal Displacement and Farmer-Herder Conflicts in Nigeria” at the Parliament’s Second Extraordinary Session and Seminar in Accra, Ghana.

Delivered by Senator Sadiq Umar (Kwara North), the presentation highlighted Nigeria's extensive agricultural and pastoral economies, which are under pressure due to land and water resource conflicts, leading to insecurity. Barau noted Nigeria's measures, including the establishment of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, to address these challenges.

Despite these efforts, over three million Nigerians remain displaced. He called for a comprehensive approach involving various stakeholders and emphasized the importance of treating livestock as an economic sector to alleviate conflicts.