Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The fragile peace returning to parts of Zamfara State could be jeopardised by a premature withdrawal of development support, stakeholders warned yesterday as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) reviewed the gains of its conflict-prevention programme in the state and the wider Northwest.
The warning came against the backdrop of continuing armed banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts, displacement, poverty and climate-related pressures that have left communities across the region vulnerable to renewed violence.
At the Project Steering Committee meeting of the Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) Programme in Abuja, Zamfara State Government appealed for sustained international support beyond the programme’s current phase, saying communities that had begun rebuilding their lives still faced significant challenges.
Representing Governor Dauda Lawal, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Yahya Zakari, said the interventions had helped communities affected by insecurity rebuild livelihoods, strengthen local peace structures and develop mechanisms for preventing conflicts before they escalate.
Zakari, who chairs the CPCRR Project Steering Committee, said restoring peace, securing lives and rebuilding the resilience of residents remained central to the administration’s agenda.
“We made firm commitment under our rescue agenda to restore peace, secure lives, and build the resilience of our people,” he said.
But he warned that the progress achieved could not be taken for granted, urging development partners to maintain their engagement rather than allow the programme to end without a mechanism for consolidating its achievements.
“I wish to make a passionate appeal for sustained engagement, consolidation of the gains, and consideration for additional funding and a follow-on program,” Zakari said.
The appeal reflected the difficult task facing Zamfara and other Northwest states, where military and law-enforcement operations have been accompanied by efforts to address the economic and social conditions that allow violent groups to exploit vulnerable communities.
IOM Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Taha Amr, said the CPCRR programme had reached almost 70,000 beneficiaries, with interventions spanning peacebuilding, livelihood recovery, climate resilience, protection, mental health and access to essential services.
He said the Northwest continued to experience the combined effects of armed banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts and climate shocks, with the resulting displacement and economic vulnerability placing additional pressure on communities and public services.
“To date, we are proud to share that IOM has reached almost 70,000 beneficiaries, strengthening local-led peacebuilding architecture,” Taha said.
The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, disclosed at the meeting that the EU had invested more than €5 million in the CPCRR project because of the scale of conflict and displacement confronting the Northwest.
The project, he said, was designed around conflict prevention, early warning, dialogue, mediation and resilience-building through existing community and government institutions.
“The project reflects the EU’s conviction that effective conflict prevention must be locally anchored,” Mignot said.
However, he challenged the Zamfara Government and other state authorities to ensure that structures strengthened through international assistance did not collapse once external funding ended.
“I would like very much to also encourage the state government, all of you, to take over, to take full responsibility to build on what has been reinforced by this project,” he said.