ECOWAS Leader Barau Jibrin Calls for Action on Conflicts

Barau Jibrin, the Deputy President of the Senate and First Deputy Speaker of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Parliament, called for stronger regional mechanisms to mitigate farmer-herder conflicts in West Africa. Speaking at the Second Extraordinary Session and Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Accra, Ghana, he presented on “Strategies for Addressing Internal Displacement and Farmer-Herder Conflicts in Nigeria” through Senator Sadiq Umar (APC Kwara North).

Jibrin warned that ongoing disputes over land and water could lead to increased displacement, banditry, terrorism, and humanitarian crises. He noted that Nigeria's extensive agricultural and pastoral economies face pressure on resources, leading to conflicts.

He mentioned Nigeria's establishment of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction to manage emergency responses for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and highlighted Nigeria's alignment with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Action Agenda on Internally Displaced Persons. Despite these efforts, over three million Nigerians remain in IDP camps, necessitating coordinated action across various government sectors and traditional institutions.