The coordinator of Plateau State National Human Rights ...

The coordinator of Plateau State National Human Rights Commission at the opening of the first

Middle Belt Regional Peace Architecture Dialogue at Jos in December 2019

ANNUAL REPORT: SEPTEMBER 1, 2019 – AUGUST 31, 2020

Transforming Farmer-Herder Conflicts and Promoting Freedom of Religions and Belief in

Nigeria’s Middle Belt

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

Contract Number: 6002993

Funding Period: September 1, 2018 – August 31, 2020

Sher Nawaz

Nigeria Country Director

Search for Common Ground

House # 11, 6th Avenue,

Gwarinpa, Abuja, Nigeria

[email protected]

Abou El Mahassine Fassi-Fifri

West Africa Regional Director

Search for Common Ground

Dakar, Senegal

[email protected]

Transforming Farmer-Herder Conflicts Annual Report: September 1, 2019 – August 31, 2020

Search for Common Ground | NIGERIA 2

Table of Contents ANNUAL REPORT: SEPTEMBER 1, 2019 – AUGUST 31, 2020 ........................................................................ 1

Transforming Farmer-Herder Conflicts and Promoting Freedom of Religions and Belief in Nigeria’s Middle Belt ................................................................................................................................................................ 1

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 ................................................................................................................................ 1

Scope of Work Summary .......................................................................................................................... 3

1. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 5

2. Context Update ....................................................................................................................................... 10

3. Activities Contributing to Objective 1 ..................................................................................................... 13



6. M&E Activities ......................................................................................................................................... 35

7. Sustainability ........................................................................................................................................... 39

8. Output Tracker ........................................................................................................................................ 42

Annex A: Story of Impact ............................................................................................................................ 45

Annex B: Media Fellows monthly report .................................................................................................... 52

.................................................................................................................................................................... 63

Annex C: Communique from Middle Belt Regional Peace Architecture Dialogue ..................................... 63

Annex D: ...................................................................................................................................................... 64



Scope of Work Summary Search for Common Ground (Search) began implementing the 24-month project entitled

“Transforming Farmer-Herder Conflicts and Promoting Freedom of Religions and Belief in

Nigeria’s Middle Belt” on September 1, 2018, with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of

the Netherlands. The project was designed to address the escalation in the violence and the loss

of human lives and property as a result of farmers-herders conflicts in Plateau, Nasarawa and

Benue states.

Search believes that if key governmental institutions, security forces, civil society organizations,

and critical community actors come together as partners with shared skills and knowledge

regarding the implications of impunity, accountability, rule of law, and current responses to

farmer-herder conflicts, then they will build a strong collaboration that can effectively identify

and implement initiatives to address the causes, drivers, and consequences of farmer-herder

conflicts, combat impunity, and strengthen the rule of law and accountability measures for the

prevention of violence and protection of human lives, and the rights and dignity of people.

The overall goal to contribute to preventing violence and the destruction of lives and properties

resulting from protracted violent conflicts between farmers and herders while combating

impunity and promoting the freedom of religions and belief in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria.

The overall goal is supported by three specific objectives and three expected results, which guide

the project’s activities:

● Objective 1: To increase collaboration between farmer and herder communities to

develop joint, effective, sustainable local mechanisms for early warning response,

dispute management, and violence prevention and mitigation at the community level;

o Expected Result 1.1: Farmer and herder communities expand ownership over a

sustained and scaled peace and community security architecture and early

warning system that includes law enforcement, government, civil society actors,

traditional and religious leaders for prevention of violence and address the causes,

drivers, and consequences of farmer-herder conflicts.

o Expected Result 1.2: Farmer and herder communities improved engagement and

collaboration with policymaker’s state and federal level on effective response to

prevent violence, promote freedom of religion and belief, enhance the rule of law,

and address the causes, drivers, and consequences of violent farmer-herder

conflicts.

● Objective 2: To mobilize religious leaders and policymakers to jointly counter violent

rhetoric through positive public messages of religious pluralism and respect of human

rights; and



o Expected Result 2.1: Civil society actors and community actors engage

government actors to address impunity and strengthen accountability measures

for effective response in preventing and mitigating violent farmer-herder

conflicts.

o Expected Result 2.2: Relevant federal government and focal state governments

have improved and comprehensive approach to prevent violence and impunity,

enhance accountability by responders to protect the rights of both farmers and

herders.

● Objective 3: To enhance public understanding of the farmer-herder conflicts by

promoting conflict sensitive contents and countering hate speech, stereotypes, biases,

and negative narratives that fuel violence.

o Expected Result 3.1: Increased availability of objective, neutral, and conflict

sensitive analysis and information related to farmer-herder issues, including the

herder community’s perspective of the conflict, for the public.

o Expected Result 3.2: Improved capacity of the media to provide coverage on

addressing impunity, enhancing accountability and the rule of law in addressing

the causes, drivers, and consequences of farmer-herder conflict in the focal states.



1. Executive Summary

Search’s intervention in the second year of the project “Transforming the farmer and herder

conflicts and promoting freedom of religion and beliefs in Nigeria’s middle belt has continued to

create remarkable impacts in Nigeria’s Middle Belt specifically in the three Project states

(Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa) with support the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This report captures the impacts and outcomes of the period covering September 1st 2019 to 31st

August 2020. The activities under the three objectives of the project were implemented in the

three target states of Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau and eight flashpoint or high-risk Local

Government Areas (LGAs), namely Guma and Otukpo in Benue state, Doma and Keana in

Nasarawa state, and Barkin- Ladi, Riyom, Jos North and Jos South in Plateau state. These activities

have deepened the peace and improved relationships between and among stakeholders in the

region. Community members have braced securing their environment among themselves and in

collaboration with relevant and respective government actors in order to reduce violence as well

as restore peace.

With the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, Search experienced some disruptions in already

planned physical activities on the project as a result of the restriction of movements and

gatherings across the Country. As a result, Search’s team conducted an assessment with its

stakeholders to determine the best platform to continue implementation of Project activities

despite the pandemic which led to implementation of virtual State Peace Architecture Dialogue

meetings while Search team continued to give technical support to the Community Security

Architecture Dialogues (CSADs) in their various communities and Local Government Areas (LGAs).

In the second year of this project, Search convened 29 Community Security Architecture

Dialogues (CSADs) which provided the space for conflict management, linkages and early

warning and response to farmer and herder conflicts across 8 hotspot conflict areas in the Project

States. The CSADs through their continued engagements also got relevant support from the Local

Government which has contributed to the sustainability of the engagements of the CSADs

beyond this project. The CSAD members have begun the process of taking ownership of their

engagements through commencement of registration processes of the CSADs as legal

Associations at the LGA levels and convening self-sponsored sensitization meetings on

Government policy and laws towards mitigation of farmer and herder conflicts.

Search convened 26 State level Peace Architecture Dialogue (PADs) follow up meetings which

allowed for improved collaboration amongst stakeholders, resolution of lingering farmer and

herder conflicts during dialogue engagements implemented by the PADs and development of

strategies for the sustainability of the State PAD in Benue and Nasarawa States. 9 transformative

dialogues for preventing and mitigating farmer and herder conflicts were supported across 10

communities in Plateau and Nasarawa States. 4 Conflict Sensitivity and Human Rights training

were held for Government actors across the project states on the dynamics of the farmer-herder



conflict approaches for responding to incidents in communities in ways to prevent reprisal

attacks and de-escalate conflicts. 3 Conflict sensitivity media round tables which contributed to

increased awareness on how media perpetuates farmer-herder conflicts and promotes conflict

sensitive reporting of human rights violations and abuses. 3 Middle Belt Regional Peace

Architecture Dialogues were convened with stakeholders from the State Peace Architecture

Dialogue which led to a consensus on the causes, drivers and consequences of farmer-herder

conflict in the states and development of strategies and recommendations via a communique

aimed at addressing the conflicts across the states and at the region.

Search supported 11 advocacy and bilateral meetings which secured the commitment of

stakeholders across the states on the sustainability of the PAD and also supported resolution of

emerging conflicts in hotspot areas in the project states. Also, the Media Fellowship which

engaged 21 selected journalists in the 1st and second quarter and 20 selected journalists in the

3rd and 4th quarter across radio, television and newspapers/blog have continued to respond by

producing conflict demystifying contents that break down stereotypes and denounce rumors

towards influencing relevant stakeholders including CSAD members, MACBAN, AFAN and

Security Agencies on the strategies for transforming farmer and herder conflicts. A total of 246

contents targeting Government, Civil Society, Ethnic and Religious based organisations were

published by the media fellows in the reporting period. In the last quarter of the project, Search

supported 1 reflection and sustainability meeting with the media fellows which featured a review

on the impact and challenges of the fellowship as well as development of strategies for the

sustainability of the fellowship beyond the project. Search also produced contents for social

media campaigns comprising of 17 episodes of an audio drama titled “Our Heritage” and 2

podcasts with Government stakeholders focused on conflict transformation during the covid-19

pandemic which had contributed to dispelling rumors, hate speech and improving the citizens'

understanding of conflict drivers for increased collaboration between farmers and herders and

disseminated across Search’s social media platforms.

In the period under review, Search engaged a total of 3084 participants (male-2142, female-942)

in the three target states.

Some of the impacts from the project in the second year and consolidated gains of the first year

of the project include:

● The LGA authorities across the 8 LGAs where the CSADs were implemented have

approved the use of their chamber halls free of charge for the CSAD meetings across the

three states. The Jos South LGA CSAD has completed its registration with the Corporate

Affairs Commission (CAC) to become a legal platform with their bank account to enable

them solicit funding on their own.



● After several meetings and recommendations of the CSAD members, the chairman of

Otukpo LGA through the Benue State government provided a Hilux van to the vigilante

group, increasing their capacity to efficiently respond to incidents at Community level.

● The inclusion of women at the CSADs is improving and their voices are being heard at the

meetings with a record of about 10% increase in women participation in the second year

of the project compared to their participation in the first year. An avenue that encourages

women's voices to be heard was created at the CSAD platforms through focus group

discussion with one group solely for them; through which women were able to speak

freely to the point that even their contributions were to the amazement of the men at

the plenary as issues that were not taken serious by the men were identified and linked

to be conflict triggers to early warning signs such as the lack of access to education of the

girl child and high rate of unemployment amongst women and youths in the communities.

● In Benue State the PAD members worked with the Search team to conduct a sensitization

meeting on the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranching Establishment Law amongst its

members and other strategic groups in the state such as socio-cultural groups, youth,

women, professional bodies. This initiative was followed by a lot of testimonies from all

participants through the insight and better understanding the sensitization afforded

them. Most members of the PAD and leaders from socio-cultural groups in Benue state,

such as the Tiv, Agatu, Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Etilo and the Jukun Etilo said that this is the

first time they understood all that are contained in the law prohibiting open grazing in

Benue. They prayed that the government continues to sensitize stakeholders on the

existence of the law.

● The PAD in Benue State worked with Search and The National Drug Law Enforcement

Agency (NDLEA) to carry out sensitization on

the impact of drug abuse especially in relation

to how it serves as a driver of farmer herder

conflicts in the State and the region at large.

● An advocacy visit was paid by the Benue State

PAD to the State Commissioner of Police who

made a commitment to continue to participate

in PAD engagements in the State and also

respond to early warning signs from the

community level.

● The Chairman of the Business Development Committee (BDC), a committee established

with the support of Search under a previous project Search implemented in Plateau state

called Plateau Will Arise project, made a commitment to self-sponsor the monthly CSADs

Figure 1 Figure 1: Group Photograph of

Members of Benue State PAD during the

Advocacy visit to Benue State Police

Commissioner



by providing a hall and chairs. During his pledge, the Chairman of the BDC stated that

“peace and security is one of the BDC’s core mandates”.

● Nasarawa State Government through the office of the Permanent Secretary, the Senior

Special Assistant and Special Adviser on Conflict Resolution has given its commitment to

continue to support the project in delivering and sustaining its Peace processes especially

the State Peace Architecture dialogue. These commitments were made towards

supporting the sustainability of the State Peace Architecture Dialogue after the end of

Search’s funding in August 2020.

● Nasarawa State Ministry of Information has given commitment to support publicity of the

activities of the State Peace Architecture Dialogue through its weekly program on the

State’s owned Media establishment, Nasarawa State broadcasting Commission which is

aired every Thursday towards promoting its engagements and sustainability beyond

Search’s funding. The PAD steering Committee has begun discussions with the Ministry

towards commencement of the weekly Radio program in July and August 2020.

● The Majority Leader of Benue State House of Assembly has committed to supporting the

State PAD towards the passage into law of the State’s Peace Agency/Commission as soon

as the bill is drafted. He also pledged the support of the Speaker and other principal

members in seeing to the sustainability of the Peace platforms in the State.

● The Paramount Traditional Rulers of Keana and Doma LGA namely the Osana of Keana

and Andoma of Doma in Nasarawa State have made commitments to supporting the

engagements of Nasarawa State Peace Architecture

Dialogue particularly the establishment of a State Peace

Organisation towards promoting sustainable peace in the

state. “In the words of Andoma of Doma, we have been

reminded of our responsibilities today and what we have

been doing to ensure peace is sustained in our domain”.

Demands presented during the visits include: Continuous

participation and support for activities of the CSAD in the

LGAs and PAD at State level.

Figure 2: Members of Nasarawa State

Peace Architecture Dialogue during

the Advocacy visit to the Andoma of

Doma



● Search, as a result of the impact of its interventions in Nasarawa State, has been

inaugurated into Nasarawa State Community Policing

Advisory Committee. The role of Search and other

Stakeholders on the Committee is to advise Nasarawa

State Government on technical issues relating to

Peacebuilding, Community Policing and Conflict

management.

● As a result of its active participation on the

Steering Committee of Nasarawa PAD,

MACBAN, the umbrella Organisation of

Herders in Nasarawa State, has been

conferred the award of Ambassador for

Peace by Samuel Eduviere Global Ministries

in affiliation with Association of interfaith

Bishops and Ministers of Nigeria. The award

was for the Organization’s exemplary style

of living which prioritizes the interest of others, promotes global moral values, inter-

religious cooperation, peace and harmony.

● The monitoring mission has shown that the dialogues has had a great impact on the LGAs

as they were able to set up “peace committees” saddled with the responsibility of

resolving conflict issues resulting from clashes between farmers and herders across 9

LGAs in Nasarawa and Plateau State to continue to contribute to the promotion of

peaceful coexistence. The Community Leaders have set up Peace committees

immediately after the dialogues with the responsibility of coordinating the

implementation of the resolutions and action plans from the dialogues.

● CSAD members of Keana LGA led by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) leader

averted what could have been a reprisal attack in Ogbosi Doma community in Doma LGA

where a herder grazing on a farm field was stoned on the head and died of injury alleged

caused by a farmer and was identified by the CSAD members. The case was reported to

the security who moved into action and arrested the suspect.

Figure 4: Nasarawa State MACBAN Chairman with the award of Ambassador for Peace

Figure 3: Inauguration of Search for

Common Ground and other

Stakeholders on Nasarawa State

Community Policing Advisory

Committee



2. Context Update

Nigeria’s North Central is a highly fertile and green region of the country and well known as the

“food basket of the nation” for its high level of agricultural productivity. In the period under

review, the region saw several security incidents reported across the region. They include the

following:

● Arrest of cattle and herders: From September to November 2019, the number of arrests

of herders and their cattle by Livestock Guards along boundary communities located in

the States of Nasarawa and Benue increased. The communities where these arrests were

made include Doma, Keana, Obi and Awe (located in Nasarawa) and Guma in Benue state.

These arrests increased tensions in the border communities, leading to continuous

hostilities between Fulani and the Tiv communities, especially in Guma and Otukpo LGAs

of Benue State. On 27th September, 2019 some Tiv youths burned down a Fulani

settlement in Garri village/Ewulo community. The increase in the number of arrests of

herders by the Livestock Guards can be linked to the little knowledge communities have

about the existence of the open grazing prohibition and establishment of ranches law in

Benue State. The risk and fear of reprisal attacks increased in the affected communities.

Also, in Benue State, the Executive Governor and the MACBAN Chairman apologized to

each other at a wedding and both parties agreed to work together for a win-win solution

in handling farmer- herder’s conflicts. In the second quarter covering December 2019 to

February 2020, there were increased arrests of cattles by Livestock Guards, increasing the

tension and affecting relationships between farmers and herders in the affected areas as

the risk and fear of reprisal attacks from the Herders also increased. As a result of the

incessant clashes between conflict prone communities comprising Yelewata, Mbabai,

Uvir, Udaaya, Mbadwen, Nyiev, Kaambe in Guma LGA of Benue State and Keana, Kardako,

Kuduka and Gidan Lalle in Keana LGA which are located at the borders of Benue and

Nasarawa States respectively, the State Governors of Benue and Nasarawa held a meeting

along the border communities where Benue State Governor identified the inability to

conclude boundary demarcation between the two states as well as activities of criminal

elements being responsible for the conflicts along the border communities1. Nasarawa

State Government also accused Livestock Guards from Benue State of the incursion of

Benue livestock Guards into Nasarawa State to arrest Fulani Herdsmen. It was directed

from the meeting that Security Agencies in Nasarawa should henceforth arrest and

prosecute any Livestock Guard that crosses over into Nasarawa State to arrest Fulani

Herdsmen. The Governors of Benue /Nasarawa have continued to hold peace and security

meetings with key member organisations of the State Security Architecture Dialogue such

as MACBAN, Security Agencies, Religious Leaders and Civil Society Organisations who

1 ‘The Joint Peace and Security Meeting between Benue and Nasarawa States’, Official Website of Nasarawa State

May 20, 2020



have continued to advocate for an all-encompassing structure through the State Peace

Commission to coordinate peacebuilding initiatives in the States.2

● Attacks on farmers and herders: From December 2019 to February 2020, Benue State

recorded over 20 incidents of armed attacks owing to the influx of cows and herdsmen

into some parts of the state and at boundary communities between Nasarawa and Benue

State. On 28th January 2020, the Governor of the State escaped herdsmen attack when

he was shot at while on his farm located at Adeke along Makurdi-Naka Road. Also in

January, Herdsmen abducted and killed a member of the State’s Livestock Guard in Ado

LGA. Also Kwatas community located at Bokkos LGA of Plateau State was attacked by

unknown gunmen on 27th of January, 2020.The killings were linked to the incident that

occurred at Kulben community in Mangu Local Government area of the state on January

20, 2020 with a total of 10 persons killed. As a result of this, the Governor of Plateau State

through the state Commissioner of Police ordered the arrest of key stakeholders

(community leaders and Ardos) in Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi and Riyom to identify the

perpetrators. Also on 15th February at Barkin-ladi LGA of Plateau State, a military hilux

van was ambushed by alleged herdsmen killing two soldiers with one injured at Gindin -

Akwati Community in Gashish district which led to reprisal attack by the Nigerian Army

through the burning of over 100 houses largely belonging to the fulani’s in their

settlement alongside arrests. Also in the early hours of 15th April, unidentified gunmen

alleged to be Fulani Herdsmen attacked Hurra Village in Bassa Local Government Area of

Plateau State with reports that the attack lasted several hours killing at least nine people

and burned over twenty (20) houses.

● Disruption of Physical Activities due to the Covid-19 Pandemic: As a result of restriction

of movements due to the Covid-19 pandemic, not all planned project activities at the

beginning of the quarter were implemented due to restrictions in movement and

gatherings across the Country. In line with recommendations drawn from the assessment

for the best platform to continue implementation of activities in project states despite

the covid-19 pandemic, it was impossible to implement activities such as the Community

Security Architecture Dialogue Meetings (CSADs) and also the Transformative Dialogue

Processes To Prevent and Mitigate Violence which requires physical convening due to

technical issues in the Communities. However, State level activities with stakeholders

were held virtually following its suitability as documented in the covid-19 activity

implementation assessment report on Annex E. In such cases, Search continued to give

support to members of the CSADs virtually which led to peaceful transformation of

conflicts and coexistence

2 ‘Security: Benue, Nasarawa Agree to Speed up Boundary Demarcation – The Sun Nigeria’ May 20, 2020



● Conflicts as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic: On April 18th, the residents of Heipang

community in Plateau State raised alarm over the decision to situate COVID-19 quarantine

Centre in a residential area.

● Inter and Intra ethnic conflicts: From September to November 2019, the conflict between

the Jukuns and Tivs escalated to such violence that some high-level dialogues were

applied amongst the youth from both sides to move towards peace.

● Transition in LGA and MACBAN Leadership: In the first quarter, the Governor of Plateau

State, sworn-in a new Local Government Management Committee Chairmen for four

LGAs including elected Chairman of Langtang North local government of the People

Democratic Party. This change in transition affected the progress of the project in

continuing the CSAD Monthly Meeting as pledges and commitments already made by the

out-going Chairman to sponsor the CSAD platforms towards sustainability in Riyom,

Barkin-Ladi, Jos South and Jos North. On 15th February 2020, In Nasarawa State, there was

an election of the Chairman of MACBAN which led to the re-election of the incumbent

Chairman. The Chairman, during the PAD meeting in Nasarawa State shared, some of his

plans to mitigate the reoccurring farmer and herder conflicts in the state by registering

all immigrant herders for easy identification, ban the use of underage children to graze

and attach an adult and experienced herder with the underage and also to set up

mechanisms to abolish night grazing.

● Encroachment on farmland and destruction of crops: From September to November

2019, incidents of frequent encroachment on farm lands by cattle was reported during

the CSAD and PAD monthly meetings across Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa States as a

result of the movement of herders southward due to the dry season that makes it difficult

for them to have water and vegetation to feed their cattle in the northern part of the

country. These incidences of encroachment has created tensions between farmers and

herders in those areas. From December 2019 to February 2020, incidents of

encroachment of cattle into farm lands were recorded across Plateau, Benue and

Nasarawa States as a result of the movement of herder’s southward due to the dry season

that makes it difficult for them to have water and vegetation to feed their cattle in the

northern part of the country.

● Kidnapping and Cultism: As reported in both CSAD and PAD meetings this quarter, the

three states of implementation of the Project have not been spared from kidnapping and

cultism which is of huge concern to all as the Christmas period is around the corner. The

increasing kidnapping and cultism activities across the three states was a major highlight

during the state PAD as well as the CSAD meetings. Stakeholders reported that the



increasing rate of these two major issues if not addressed might hinder some

communities from enjoying the Christmas and New Year festivities. Hence, they called on

the government (security agencies) and the traditional leaders to be proactive in

mitigating the issues in the states.

● Interventions by CSOs and Community Leaders: Civil Society Organisations and the

respective State Security Architecture Dialogue platform have continued to intensify calls

on relevant stakeholders for improved response to emerging conflicts and threats to lives

and properties in the project states. On Wednesday March, 4th, a coalition of Civil Society

Organisations in the State addressed a press conference where they expressed worry over

renewed attacks and also called for strengthening of the security operations of the Police

and military in the state3. The Benue State Government also temporarily suspended the

return of IDPs currently numbered at 483,692 due to renewed attacks by suspects.

Traditional and Community Leaders in the various conflict prone communities have

continued to initiate dialogue engagements towards proffering lasting solutions to the

incessant crisis. Dialogue meetings between farmers and herders were reported at Idadu,

Alagye and Amaku Communities in Doma LGA of Nasarawa State, Ogobia and Igede

communities in Otukpo LGA and Gbajimba in Guma LGA of Benue State with the

respective Community Security Architecture Dialogue, LGA Security Adviser and Security

Agencies at the Community level taking the lead in facilitating the dialogues towards

promoting lasting peace in the conflict prone areas.

3. Activities Contributing to Objective 1

Activity 1.1 Conflict Transformations, Human Rights, and Dialogue Training

This activity was not conducted during this reporting period because it has been concluded as

targeted. Search implemented six Conflict Transformation, Human Rights, and Dialogue

Trainings, reaching the entire target LGAs in the three states in year 1 of the project. A total

number of 264 participants (188 male, 76 females) were reached.

Although the target number of conflict transformation, human rights and dialogue trainings was

met in May 2019, Community Stakeholders comprising of CSAD Executives, Local Security

Agencies, Religious and Traditional Rulers have taken the lead in organizing dialogues and

sensitization engagements between farmers and herders and other conflicting parties within

their respective LGAs, so as to promote peaceful coexistence and resolution of emerging

conflicts. Some of the dialogues and sensitization engagements supported include the following:

3 ‘Herders/Farmers Crisis: Benue IDPs Peaks 483,692, as Govt Suspends Return – Daily Trust’ Abbas Jimoh, Mar 6,

2020



On April 27th, the CSAD at Otukpo LGA in Benue

State led by the LGA Security Adviser, who is a

member of the CSAD in the LGA, convened a

dialogue meeting with Security Agencies and

Traditional Rulers in communities within the LGA

towards addressing recent incidents of cult activities

which led to 2 persons losing their lives in Ogobia

town on 19th April. Key outcome of the meeting is

the resolution and establishment of Police Security

Out-Posts at Ogobia, Ugboju and Ojeoma-Akpa

Communities in Otukpo LGA of Benue State.

Similarly, on May 8th, a meeting was convened at Idaudu Community in Doma LGA of Nasarawa

State by the Traditional Ruler and CSAD in Doma LGA, on the issue of destruction of crops by

cattle and the designation of migratory routes were extensively deliberated upon. Resolutions

from the meeting include commitment by Herders to stop their cattle from grazing on farmlands

as farm crops have started germinating, while farmers also agreed to create grazing routes for

cattle.

Activity 1.2 Transformative Dialogue Processes to Prevent and Mitigate Violence

From 27th July to 20th August 2020, Search implemented the transformative dialogue processes

to prevent and mitigate farmer and herder conflicts in 10 conflict prone communities across the

LGAs of Shendam LGA and Doma LGA located in Nasarawa and Plateau States respectively.

The transformative dialogue processes consisted of advocacy and community entry visits,

separate intra dialogues with the farmer and herder groups and inter dialogues with the farmer

and herder groups. The community entry, advocacy

and advance visits introduced Search and the

proposed dialogues to the Community Leaders and

LGA Stakeholders hence leading to their

acceptance and willingness to participate in the

dialogue processes. The Intra dialogues which were

held separately with the farmers and herders

groups featured identification of conflict issues

affecting the farmers and herders groups which

was done in separate group discussions with the

community leaders/elders, women and youths.

The inter dialogues on the other hand brought together stakeholders who were at the farmers

and herders intra dialogues and supported to identify the cross cutting issues affecting the

farmers and herders groups, prioritize and rank the issues identified, identify stakeholders

Figure 5: Security Adviser to Otukpo LGA in

Benue State during the dialogue meeting on

addressing incidents in the LGA

Figure 6: A farmer presenting issues from the Elders

group during the transformative dialogues held at

Okpatta Community in Doma LGA of Nasarawa State



required to resolve the conflicts and thereafter agree on strategies for resolving the prioritized

issues.

The summary of identified cross cutting issues

from the dialogues include kidnap, armed

robbery and proliferation of arms, blockage of

cattle routes, destruction of crops on farmlands,

ethnic and religious intolerance, rape, forceful

land grabbing, lack of portable water and access

to health infrastructures, lack of good roads, lack

of local peace mechanisms, drug and substance

abuse, lack of access to education and high influx

of farmers and herders from neighboring states.

Resolutions agreed on by the farmers and herders groups towards resolving the identified

issues include: Identification and opening of blocked cattle routes, formation of peace

committees to resolve emerging farmer and herders conflicts including monitoring of blocked

cattle routes, resolution of land disputes and sensitization of herders against grazing on farm

lands and crop destruction. The Stakeholders also agreed to convene regular peace and security

meetings, sensitization of herders on the importance of education, involvement of women

leaders in dialogue and decision making processes. The full resolution from the dialogue is

attached as a separate attachment to this report. Breakdown of the number of persons reached

and dates of the dialogues can be found on Annex D (Table 1).

Can Contact Reduce Conflict between farmers and herders: Evidence from Nigeria Project:

Following the report on the interest of a group of researchers from the University of Chicago in

the United State of America. Search has been working with the researchers, who are affiliated

with Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) in

Search’s transformative dialogue processes in the report of the first year of the project, Search

has signed up a 24 months grant to facilitate 96 dialogues across selected hotspot communities

in Nasarawa and Plateau States towards assessing the impact of the dialogues in preventing and

mitigating farmer and herder conflicts.

Activity 1.3 LGA-level Community Security Architecture Dialogues (CSAD)

In the second year of the project, Search held 29 CSAD meetings across Benue, Nasarawa and

Plateau States engaging 1136 Participants (816 male, 320 female). Search’s CSADs are multi-

stakeholder LGA-level dialogue platforms that hold monthly discussions on peace and security

issues in the communities. The members of the CSAD platforms represent a diverse set of

Figure 7: A cross section of Participants during the exercise

on perspectives at Menkat, Community, Shendam LGA

Plateau State



stakeholders in the LGAs, including government, security, and community actors, as well as

leaders of herding and Farming communities.

The platforms have continued to attract well-meaning

community members, both state and non-state actors

including leaders of herders and farmers. Other

stakeholders always in attendance at the monthly

meetings are LGA desk officers, Local Council Chairmen,

traditional leaders, religious leaders, youth, women,

National Orientation Agency (NOA), CSOs, media, and

formal and informal security

agencies – including the Nigerian Police Force, Joint Task Force,

Nigeria Customs Services, Nigeria Immigrations Services (NIS), and

other voluntary informal security groups and National Human

Rights Commission (NHRC).

The CSADs from findings from the monitoring mission are now

recognized by their various state, Local Government and

International organizations for their various works as peace

ambassadors and mediators. It was also revealed that their various

traditional and community leaders sometimes call upon them to

mediate in conflict issues.

FROM THE USE OF FORCE TO THE USE OF COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

Mr Dandaura Dansidi Kpukple is an officer of Nigerian Security and

Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC). He Initially served in Keana LGA as Desk

Officer and currently working in Doma LGA of Nasarawa State. He is

a member of the Community Security Architecture Dialogue (CSAD)

and represented his agency in Keana LGA and currently in Doma LGA.

He was trained by Search on conflict transformation, Human Rights

and Dialogue, which has transformed his professional and personal

life. Dandaura is a dedicated and active member of the CSAD

platform; he occasionally cancels other engagements to ensure he is

able to attend the CSAD meeting.

He has this to say;

The CSAD platform is the best thing that has happened to Keana and Doma LGAs. I usually get

more feedback and security reports on emerging conflict issues in the LGA from the context

update given at the CSAD meetings. I rely on this information for necessary security action, as all

communities within the LGA have representatives in each meeting that further improves the

quality of information I

get.

Figure 8: The Representative of the Nigerian

Police Force at Otukpo LGA Benue State

giving updates on response to incidents after

the 11th CSAD meeting

Figure 9: Guma LGA CSAD Desk

Officer presenting the incidents of

farmers and herders conflicts

received in the month of June during

the 12th CSAD meeting



Mr Dandaura has resolved several conflict issues within the LGA using the skills he acquired from

Search’s activities, especially the collaborative approach. He also capitalises on the synergy built

with other security agencies such as the Police, Army, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency

(NDLEA) and State Security Services (SSS) to track and arrest culprits within the various

communities of the LGA.

“Search has made our work easier”

STORY OF IMPACT: FROM A LOCAL PEACEBUILDER TO AN INTERNATIONAL PEACEBUILDER

Mr. Yakubu C. Gam is a member of the Jos South Local Government Authority (LGA) Community

Security Architecture Dialogue (CSAD) and has been an integral part of the peace process in

Plateau state, particularly in the Jos South Local Government Area where he initiated and

implemented activities within his community using the skills and knowledge acquired from a

series of trainings he attended sponsored by Search for Common Ground. Mr Gam received

recognition from the United Nations as an “Ambassador of World Peace”, and carried out the

following activities in his community:

● Step down training within Gyel and Bukuru communities in which over 500 youths were

reached

● Resolved conflict between farmers and herders within the Bukuru community that would

have led to violence.

A CSAD member from Jos South (Yakubu C Gam) during his award recognition by the United

Nations in Anambra State on 20th September 2019.

As a result of activities conducted by Search, one Mrs. Patience Adjei, the Secretary of the

Community Security Architecture Dialogue (CSAD) in Otukpo LGA of Benue State was able to

support the Chairman and other Executives to mobilize members especially women leader from



communities across Otukpo LGA to participate in a self-sponsored CSAD meeting held in the

community on the 29th of September 2019. At the self-sponsored meeting, she also participated

in developing an action plan targeted at bringing communities within the LGA who were not part

of the CSAD platform. The Action plan involved carrying out advocacy visits to the community

leaders of Otobi-Akpa and Adoka communities in the LGA on the existence and need for those

communities to be part of the CSAD in the LGA. The advocacy visit to Otobi-Akpa LGA was carried

out on 29th November 2019 and Patience was part of this visit. This move by Patience has

encouraged more women participation from Otobi-Akpa in subsequent CSAD meetings in the

LGA.

STORY OF IMPACT: AN ADVOCATE OF PEACE

Hajiya Balaraba is a Fulani Woman leader in Keana LGA of

Nasarawa state who is recognized and respected within her

community. She is a member of the Community Security

Architecture Dialogue (CSAD) and was trained by Search. She

took the initiative to step-down the knowledge and skills she

had acquired from the Conflict Transformation, Human

Rights and Dialogue training she attended to other women

within her locality who did not participate in the training. She

was able to reach a total of 210 Fulani women and enlighten them on the need to monitor their

children and also to sensitize them on various drugs the youths might be using so that they can

identify early warning signs.

Mrs. Balaraba also charged women to speak to their husbands to avoid sending little children for

grazing alone as they are too small to be left alone with fifty to hundred Cows.

She moved from community to community sensitizing different women with her own funds. At

the end, she sensitized 4 communities in Keana LGA.

As part of stakeholders commitment for sustainability, the CSAD members in the project’s focal

LGA’s of Riyom, Jos North, Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Keana, Guma and Otukpo LGAs organized a

self-sponsored meeting on the 29 October 2019 where both farmers and herders converged to

replicate what Search has taught them in the previous months.

Members of the platform have been organizing step down training for people from different

communities especially youths (male and female) on the dangers of drug abuse and the benefits



of peaceful coexistence in the society. Search and some invited CSAD members were present in

one of the training sessions

One of the beneficiaries of the CSAD platform from

Jos South LGA, Yakubu C. Gam is presently mentoring

youths from Searcher’s past project “Naija Youth

Unite” and youths from segregated Christian and

Muslim communities of Gyel and Bukuru. The

motivation came to him as a result of several

interventions working with youths and the gaps

identified from which he believes in catching them young.

From March to May 2020, Search could not convene the CSAD meetings due to restriction of

movements, physical gatherings and lockdown as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. With

relaxation of the lockdown in June, Search continued implementation of the CSADs across the

Project States. Hence in compliance with Government’s restrictions on physical gatherings, the

number of stakeholders at the CSAD meetings was reduced to a maximum of 30 stakeholders per

meeting with provision of face masks, hand wash and use of alcohol based hand sanitizers.

Also, Ahead of the LGA elections which were held in

Benue State on 30th May, CSAD members carried out door

to door sensitization campaigns on the need for peaceful

elections in their respective communities and LGAs. The

sensitization activity carried out by CSAD members

contributed to the generally adjudged peaceful Benue

state LGA election held on May 30th 2020. According to

Adole Ejah, a Member of the CSAD in Otukpo LGA, “We

recorded a peaceful local Government election in our local Government Area as a result of the

continuous sensitization of the CSAD to the various categories of persons through our Youth,

Women, Farmers and Herder mobilisers. They have consistently appealed to all persons to shun

all acts that can result in electoral violence and this has greatly contributed to the Peaceful LGA

election at Otukpo LGA”. No incidents of violence and conflict were recorded during the election.4

Key outcomes of the CSAD meetings held in the month of June include the creation of WhatsApp

groups for the CSAD in Guma and Otukpo LGAs of Benue State for improved communication and

collaboration, reports from communities on incidents, mapping of conflict prone communities

for engagements during the Benue State PAD follow up dialogue meetings and development of

strategies for addressing emerging incidents of farmer and herder conflicts. CSADs in Plateau

State on the other hand set up committees to lead the process of producing identity cards for

members and lead the process of registering the CSADs with the Corporate Affairs Commission

as Community Based Organisations.

4 ‘Voters Turnout Fairly in Benue LG Election – Daily Trust’ Hope Abah Emmanuel, Makurdi | May 30, 2020

Figure 11: Group Photograph of CSAD members and

Search Staff after the step down training on drug abuse

Figure 13: The CSAD self-sponsored meeting at

Keana LGA of Nasarawa State



Key outcomes of the CSAD meetings in the month of July include testimonials on contribution

of the PAD follow up dialogue meetings with farmers and herders from 16 conflict prone

communities in Benue State to the drastic reduction of incidents of farmer and herder conflicts.

There was also the development of advocacy plans for engagement of the LGA Chairmen to

follow up on the sustainability of the PAD and resolution of the CSADs to continue to engage even

after the end of search’s support to the CSADs. Breakdown of the CSAD meetings held during

the reporting period and number of persons reached can be found on Annex E (Table 2).


Activity 2.1 Middle Belt State Peace Architecture Dialogue (PAD) Forum on Farmer-Herder

Issues

In the second year of the project, Search convened 3 Middle Belt Regional Peace Architecture

Dialogue meetings (2 physical and 1 virtual) with a total of 173 participants comprising of 127

Males and 46 Females from Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau States with Plateau State hosting the

1st RPAD and Nasarawa State hosting the 3rd RPAD. Participants included; key stakeholders

across the Middle Belt region, they comprise of the following: Office of the Secretary to Plateau

State Government, Plateau Peace Building Agency, Special Advisers to Nasarawa State Governor

on Peace and Conflict Resolution, Special Adviser to Nasarawa State Governor on SDGs, Benue

State Planning Commission, Ministry of Women Affairs, National Human Rights Commission,

Traditional Ruler from Benue and Nasarawa State, Religious Leaders, Nigerian Police Force,

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Security Service, Forum for Farmer

and herder Relation in Nigeria, Representatives of steering committee of Peace Architecture

Dialogue and Media Fellows in Project States. Participants during the RPAD discussed and

brainstormed extensively on causes, drivers and consequences of farmer-herder conflict across

the three states and the region more broadly. The discussions during the RPAD focused on

identification of issues of conflict across the region, interventions, strategies for addressing the

conflicts, avoiding spillover of violence while streamlining actions taken by each state.

A 5 Member Regional Peace Architecture Dialogue Executive comprising of 4 Males and 1 female

comprising of the following: The Director General of Plateau Peace Building Agency and Benue

State PeaceBuilding Commission, Tier of Makurdi (Traditional Ruler) and Civil Society

Organisations were elected to serve the RPAD platform.

Key issues identified from the RPAD that has triggered farmer and herder conflicts across the

three states include: Kidnapping, cultism/gangstisism, proliferation of small and light



weapons/Arms, drug/substance abuse, gender based violence/rape, land dispute, human right

abuses and violations, boundary dispute, trespass and

destruction of farm produce.

Other key issues across the 3 project states identified

include absence of law prohibiting open grazing and

establishment of ranches in Nasarawa and Plateau,

inadequate security presence in rural communities, fake

news and inadequate media collaboration with key actors,

absence of institutional structures for implementing peace

architecture policies and blockage of cattle routes in Plateau and Nasarawa States, inadequate

feed for livestock which has contributed to the incidents of farmers and herders conflicts,

inadequate education on human rights for citizens at all levels leading to infringement on the

rights of farmers and herders, inadequate sensitization on the impact of drug abuse and

inadequate trauma centers for rehabilitation of victims of farmers and herder conflicts. Other

issues identified include the new dimension of ethnicity and religion hence the recurring

incidents of reprisal attacks between the various groups, influx of Herders from neighboring

states which has contributed to incessant incidents of farmers and herders attacks.

Whilst the second and third Regional PAD featured session on emerging trends of the farmers

and herders conflicts in the Middle Belt identified factors that was driving the conflicts in the

region comprising increase competition over land and water resources, inter-connectivity of

sedentary farming and pastoralists, prevalence possession and proliferation of small arms and

light weapons, demographic and climate pressures, population growth and reproduction

amongst others. The Stakeholders also reached a

consensus on the need for improved collaboration

amongst stakeholders and Government, role of

organized criminals in fueling the conflicts and

inadequate implementation of existing laws for

managing farmer and herder conflicts.

Stakeholders from the various States also featured in

panel discussions on the state level PAD updates and

conflict dynamics.

Contributions from the panel discussion include the

impact of the PAD from the Civil Society Angle as a result of the various dialogues with

stakeholders, Farmers and Herders groups which has supported the groups to engage

collaboratively towards resolving emerging conflicts amicably from Community to the State

levels. The PAD’s also reported improved inclusion of women through advocacies to relevant

stakeholders on gender based violence and inclusion of women in decision making, community

based dialogues. Member organisations of the PAD from the States also reported improved inter

Figure 14: Screenshots from the virtual second

Middle Belt Regional PAD held in June 2020

Figure 15: A Stakeholder from Plateau State PAD,

contributing on best practices for sustaining the State

PAD by the State Government



agency collaboration on handling issues such as rape, drug abuse and other emerging issues from

the PAD’s.

The discussion on the interventions of the CSADs in

managing farmer and herder conflicts at Plateau,

Nasarawa and Benue States highlighted enhanced

relationships between farmers and herders through

dialogues, linkage to relevant stakeholders and security

Agencies, capacity building of both farmers and herders,

change of perception and perspective and availability of

a level playing ground for peaceful co-existence,

improved communication and collaboration.

Stakeholders also noted the contribution of the CSADs

to the relative peace and improved security across communities and LGA’s of intervention hence

some LGA’s of intervention witnessed a bumper harvest which was first of its kind due to

renewed relationships and understanding between farmers and herders which led to reduction

in crops destruction and encroachment on farmlands by animals.

Hence, recommendations reached include: enactment of deliberate policy by Government

which will establish a regional security network, set up of Peace Commission/Agency in Benue

and Nasarawa to coordinate peace processes and reconciliation and deepening security presence

in rural communities. Other action plans include providing feedback to state governments using

the communique, advocacy visits on identified issues to raise awareness and secure

commitments and carry out sensitization and consultative forums on key areas highlighted.

The Communique of the first, second and third Regional PAD is contained in Annex C of this report

while breakdown of RPADs and persons reached is contained in Annex F (Table 3).

Activity 2.2 State Peace Architecture Dialogue (PAD) Follow-up Meetings

The PAD is a State level platform where Key Stakeholders from the State and Community level

meet to discuss peace and security issues affecting the State and solutions proffered with the

contribution of participants from urban and rural areas on a monthly basis. In the reporting

period, 26 PAD meetings in which a total of 971 key government actors and non-state actors

participated out of which 619 were male while 352 were female. Amongst the stakeholders that

participated in this quarters PAD meetings are government Ministries, Departments and

Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Sector Commandant Federal Road Safety

Corp (FRSC), State Commandant Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Deputy

Commissioner of Police, Director General Department of State Security Services (DSS) Benue,

State Commandant NDLEA, HRH Ter Makurdi, Representative of the Comptroller of Nigerian

Immigration Services (NIS) in both Benue and Nasarawa States, National Human Rights

Commission (NHRC) among few to mention were in attendance.

Figure 16: Representatives of Benue State PAD

Steering Committee during the panel discussion on

state level updates, activities, successes and

challenges at the third RPAD in Nasarawa State



The PAD meetings held in Benue State from September to November 2019 were focused on

sensitizing stakeholders on the content of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranching

Establishment Law of Benue state and also discussed issues on the indiscriminate arrest of cattle

and herders along boundary communities of Guma in Benue and Awe, Doma and Keana in

Nasarawa. The Ter Makurdi, HRH Chief Sule Abengaat the October 2019 PAD in Benue had this

to say:,

“When the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranching Establishment Law was passed, both farmers

and herders did not know what the law entailed. But the sensitization carried out by Search

through the PAD platform had made people understand the law in a better perspective and also

embraced the law. This is the first time that a Traditional ruler sitting at this kind of sensitization

meeting on the open grazing prohibition and ranching establishment law. This event has indeed

changed the perception of people with Search for Common Ground as an organization operating

in the state, not against the law but seeking ways to improve and enlighten the people. I am sure

all the groups that came here have learnt greatly from this initiative.”

In Plateau state, the Plateau Peace Building Agency continued to implement the PAD as it has

secured funding for the next two years. Search’s Project team has continued to attend and

provide technical support to the PAD in Plateau State. The Project Coordinator of Plateau State

has attended five PAD monthly meetings while the Project Officer attended one, representing

Search. A committee was set up to proffer solutions to the increase of substance and drug abuse

in the State. One of the recommendations of the Committee was that a Law should be put in

place to deal with the offenders. Also, in this period Search representatives joined the PPBA in

the planning of International Peace Day and 16 Days of Activism and participated in some of

activities lined up for these events.

From December 2019 to February 2020, Search supported the 9th and 10th State PAD follow up

meetings in Benue State and 6th and 7th PAD meetings in Nasarawa State. The PAD meetings at

Benue State during the period were focused on resolving existing dispute between Vigilante

Group of Nigeria and Benue State Vigilante Group of Nigeria, unlawful activities of Livestock

Guards to citizens and Herders, Collaborating with NDLEA in Benue State to address the Menace

of Drug Abuse and developing strategies by engaging key stakeholders towards influencing the

passage of Benue State Peace Establishment.

According to the participants, the presentation from the representative of the State’s

Commandant of NDLEA revealed that drug abuse was one of the key drivers of the conflicts

especially between farmers and Herders in Benue State. Also the sensitisation has shown that

NDLEA currently is only able to cover 5 out of 23 LGAs in Benue State. Participants agreed that it

was necessary to join hands with NDLEA to address the menace of drug abuse in the State.



During the 11th PAD in Benue State, the Tier of Makurdi

commended Search for its intervention in the State which has

promoted peaceful resolution of conflict. In his words “Search

has added value to our peace efforts in the state, we are law

abiding citizens, peace can only exist if we obey the law, ‘we

come from different background, it is left for us to adjust’ I do

come to this meeting to encourage and contribute and I urge us

to obey the law set by the government.”

In Plateau state, the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA) secured funding support from the

United States Embassy to run the Peace Architecture Dialogue meetings from December 2018 -

August 2019. Search helped establish and supported financially for a year. Some of the impact

recorded since the sustainability measures were put in place include the nomination of a 9 man

committee to come out with a blueprint that can effectively tackle drugs and substance abuse in

the state and Search was part of the committee represented by the project coordinator. The

committee met on three occasions and finally drafted a blueprint that will be shared with the

state government and other International organizations for funding of implementation. The PAD

platform members went on advocacy visits to communities and relevant stakeholders on

community centric approaches to deal with the menace of drugs and substance abuse. On the

issues of cultism, gangsters and criminality, the PAD platform is collaborating with relevant

agencies including; Special Task Force, Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence

Corps, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigerian Immigration Service, Vigilante Group of

Nigeria and Neighborhood Watch to ascertain how these issues can be curbed within the

communities.

From March to May 2020 Search supported the convening of 3 State PAD follow up meetings

and continued to collaborate with Plateau Peacebuilding Agency, who has fully adopted the PAD

as its approach to initiating its state driven peace initiative to engaging state and non-state actors

on a monthly basis with the end goal of taking a critical analysis of the peace and security

landscape of the state with a view to elucidate viable recommendations on how to resolve old

conflicts as well as address emerging trends. Highlights of outcomes of the 11th Benue State PAD

meeting held on March 12th include: presentation of updates from an ad hoc committee set up

to resolve the conflict between Vigilante group of Nigeria and Benue State Vigilante Group. The

two security organisations from the meeting agreed that their roles were complimentary hence

both organisations will work independently but towards supporting law and order in the State.

Also, there were extensive discussions on strategies for sustaining the PAD in Benue State. It was

resolved that previous requests to engage the Governor should be followed up on while the

Legislature will also be engaged to get their commitment and buy in. Search also convened a

virtual Benue State PAD Steering committee meeting on May 12th. Outcomes of the meeting

Figure 18: Representative of the State

Director of NDLEA doing a presentation

of the menace of drug/substance abuse in

Benue State.



include improved understanding of the emerging trend of farmer and herders conflicts amidst

the covid-19 pandemic.

The interactive session at the meeting was focused on

opportunities of peacebuilding for the PAD amidst the

pandemic. Members resolved to continue to advocate

for improved response to farmer and herder conflicts

just as the state is responding to the pandemic. Other

resolutions and action plans from the meeting include:

Plans to document the improved relationship that has

been recorded between farmers and herders through

the intervention of the PAD in the State and meetings

with Traditional Rulers, Leaders of Herders and Farmers towards resolving root causes of conflicts

and promoting peaceful coexistence in 15 conflict prone communities in Guma and Otukpo LGA.

The Steering Committee also further resolved to work more closely with the Media Fellows and

other Media Organisations in the state towards projecting issues and recommendations for

sustaining peace in the state to the public.

At the virtual 8th Nasarawa State PAD meeting held on

May 19th, stakeholders on the PAD presented updates

on the engagements of their organisations since the 7th

PAD meeting in the state such as recent rescue of a

Government Official who was kidnapped in his

hometown on March 4th alongside the recovery of arms

from suspected criminals by the Police, the role of the in

enforcing the Federal and State Government’s lockdown directive aimed at reducing the spread

of Covid-19 pandemic which led to the arrest of 1400 violators of the lockdown directive. The

PAD was informed that all 1400 violators that were arrested had been charged to mobile courts.

The Nigerian Immigration Service reported that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Organisation

has suspended the issuance of international passports and visas on arrival to immigrants. It was

generally observed that conflicts between Farmers and Herders in Nasarawa State had reduced

while criminals apprehended. The 8th Nasarawa PAD also featured an interactive session on the

effect of the covid-19 pandemic on Farmers and Herders in Nasarawa State. Farmers commended

the State Government for excluding farmers from the lockdown directives particularly movement

to and from their various farms in order to allow them plant their crops in the ongoing planting

season. They however complained of the unavailability of farm inputs which are transported

from other states due to restriction of movement hence the limited inputs available in the state

were sold at exorbitant prices hence the PAD recommended that the Deputy Police

Figure 19: Screen Shots from the virtual 10th

Nasarawa State PAD meeting held in June 2020



Commissioner in attendance and the Ministry of Agriculture representative should convey the

feedbacks of the Leaders of Farmers to the State Government.

From June to August 2020, Search implemented a total of 14 State PAD follow up meetings in

Benue and Nasarawa State during the reporting period comprising 3 virtual meetings and 11

physical meetings. The meetings continued to increase communication and collaboration

amongst key stakeholders in the project states on transformation of farmer and herder conflicts.

The State PAD in Benue State has also contributed to

the drastic reduction in incidents of farmers and

herders conflicts through the implementation of follow

up dialogues with 16 conflict prone communities across

3 LGAs (Guma, Otukpo and Obi) in Benue State through

joint engagements with leaders of farmers and herders

to identify the root causes of the conflicts and

development of strategies for preventing and mitigating

future

recurrence of

the conflicts. Search also convened 2 women focused

PADs with stakeholders on the PAD in Nasarawa and

Benue States which focused on the impact of farmers

and herders conflicts on women, strategies for

mitigating the conflicts and development of action

plans for engagement in collaboration with the State

PAD steering committees.

Nasarawa State PAD also conducted an election of the

steering committee during the reporting period with the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor

emerging as the new PAD Chairman alongside other Executives who were elected to serve for an

interim period of 3 months covering August to October 2020.

Breakdown of PAD meetings held in the reporting period can be found on Annex G (Table 4).

Activity 2.3 Advocacy Visits and Bilateral Meetings

In furtherance to contributing to increased collaboration between farmer and herder

communities to develop joint, effective, sustainable local mechanisms for early warning

response, dispute management, violence prevention and mitigation at the community levels,

Search supported 3 bilateral meetings with farmers and herders from hotspot communities in

Benue State. Search also carried out several advocacies to stakeholders from various

government, security, civil society, religious and traditional institutions and organisations in the

second year of the project towards improved commitment and support to the sustainability of

Figure 20: Mr. Nataniel Awuapila of Nasarawa State

PAD facilitating the State PAD Dialogue meeting

with Farmers and Herders from Guma LGA

Figure 21: Ibrahim Galma, MACBAN Benue State Secretary

identifying the root causes of the conflicts in Guma LGA of

Benue State



the CSADs beyond this project. A total of 84 participants comprising 57 male and 28 female were

reached through the advocacy and bilateral visits.

The Bilateral meetings held with stakeholders in Benue State had in attendance Participants

including the State Secretary of MACBAN and AFAN, Leaders of Farmer and Herder Groups in

Guma LGA. Discussions featured context updates on the worrisome operations of the livestock

Guards from allegation of missing cattles whenever cattle are arrested for open grazing while in

detention. They gave an instance where 100 cattle were arrested and at the time of release only

60 cows were released and it was discovered that it was

usually the bigger cows that got missing. Herders also

complained that they are usually battered by livestock

guards even when they are not grazing cows. There

were also complaints of high taxes charged on Herders

at the point of releasing arrested cattle above the

amount specified in the law. It was also agreed from

the meetings that in sustaining the already existing

peace in the LGA, there is the need for more

enlightenment campaign on the open grazing

prohibition and ranching law through the CSAD Platform. Stakeholders in Guma LGA also agreed

to organise regular dialogues with farmers and Herders to resolve any lingering issues for

peaceful coexistence as well as put in place modalities for displaced farmers and Herders to

return back to their ancestral homes by engaging the LGA Chairmen to lead the process. Farmers

and Herders also agreed to continue to carry out advocacies to key opinion leaders on a review

of the open grazing prohibition and ranching establishment law in order to make it suitable for

all interested persons in the state. On March 19th, the project convened 18 leaders of farmers

and herders in Guma LGA (Comprising of 6 males and 12 females) in a bilateral meeting towards

addressing issues arising from incidents of kidnapping, and armed attacks on Yelewata, Mbabai,

Yandev, Udaaya, Uvir, Nyiev, Mbawa and Kaambe Communities which are farming communities

in Guma LGA and has led to killing of 3 farmers, 1 herder, injure of 1 herder as a result of the

arrest of 1000 cattle’s within the LGA by the Livestock Guards who have been mandated by the

State Government to arrest all animals found grazing openly in the State. Farmers at the meeting

also complained that their farmlands were destroyed at night alongside theft of their motorcycles

and other properties by armed herdsmen. The meeting enhanced collaboration and

communication between stakeholders through the compilation of emergency phone numbers

of stakeholders and security agencies for communication of early warning signs and reporting

of incidents for response of appropriate stakeholders and security agencies. Participants also

pledged to abide by the Laws of the State and avoid reprisal attacks which usually escalate the

emerging conflicts.

Figure 22: Cross section of participants during the

bilateral meeting held in January 2020



Recommendations proffered and agreed for

implementation by the Community Security

Architecture Dialogue platforms in Guma and Otukpo

LGAs of Benue State upon for ending the conflicts

include: Improved synergy amongst traditional rulers,

improved collaboration and synergy amongst Security

Agencies, Identification of criminal elements among

farmers and herders without stereotypes and

Strengthening Community Policing structures. Other

recommendations include continuous joint inter

community stakeholders’ dialogue meetings, review of

Benue State’s prohibition of open grazing law and the setting up of a pilot ranch for Herders to

emulate in compliance to the law towards enhanced peaceful coexistence between farmers and

herders in Benue State. Stakeholders also advocated for the veterinary services to herders,

provision of psycho-social support to victims, continuous sensitization on the law, forgiveness

from both conflicting parties and compensation and resettlement of people in IDP camps.

In March 2020, the Project team engaged the following offices in Nasarawa State on the

sustainability of the project initiatives in Nasarawa State: Special Adviser (SA) and Senior Special

Assistant to the Governor on Peace and Conflict Resolution, Permanent Secretary to the SSG,

Director/Desk officer on security matters in the Office of the SSG, SA Special duties Government

House and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on NGOs. All stakeholders engaged

commended Search for its initiative in the State and promised to support the engagements and

sustainability of initiatives on the project beyond the funding.

Also in the month of March 2020, Search Team and

members of Benue State Peace Architecture Dialogue paid

a visit to the Majority Leader of the State House of

Assembly which led to commitment to support the

sustainability of the State Peace Architecture Dialogue

through the passage of the State Peace Commission Law.

Also in March 2020, members of Nasarawa State Peace

Architecture Dialogue visited two paramount rulers of the

project LGAs to seek for the commitment, support and

blessings of the Paramount Rulers towards its

peacebuilding engagements in the state.

They also demanded for more collaboration of the Traditional Leaders with Security Agencies in

the area as well as engage the Government to deploy more security officers to conflict prone

communities for sustained peace. They also requested for the Paramount Rulers attention

Figure 23: A Herder from Mbabai during the

bilateral meeting held at Makurdi in June 2020

Figure 24: Group Photograph of Benue

State Peace Architecture Dialogue

members with Search team during the

advocacy visit to the Majority Leader and

Principal Members of Benue State House

of Assembly



towards resolving cattle rustling, Gender Based Violence/rape, land disputes, human rights abuse

and violations, trespass and destruction of farm produce and boundary disputes which is often

the common denominators of conflict amongst Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa State. The

Paramount Traditional Rulers of Keana and Doma LGA pledged their commitment and support

for the PAD in Nasarawa State and also on the demands presented. “In the words of Andoma of

Doma, we have been reminded of our responsibilities today and what we have been doing to

ensure peace is sustained in our domain”.

Following the exit of Search’s Benue State Project Coordinator, the new coordinator on

resumption in the state engaged stakeholders at State level, on the State Peace Architecture and

the Community Security Architecture Dialogue in advocacy

and familiarization visits towards soliciting for their continued

support for Search’s interventions in Benue State. A total of

24 stakeholders comprising 15 males and 9 females were

reached from March 3rd - 5th. All stakeholders pledged their

commitment to work with the new State Project Coordinator

especially in implementation of action plans for the

sustainability of the State PAD and CSAD at LGA levels. Some

of the Stakeholders engaged include Benue State Planning

Commission, Benue State Network of NGOs, Justice

Development and Peace Commission, Elohim Foundation and

Community Links amongst others.

Activity 2.4 Conflict Transformation and Human Rights Training for Government Actors

In strengthening the implementation of the rule of law and accountability measures by the

government of focal states and relevant federal government institutions to respond to and

prevent violence resulting from farmer-herder conflicts at the state levels, Search convened

conflict transformation, human rights and dialogue

trainings for Government Actors across Nasarawa, Benue

and Plateau States. The training was held physically across

the project states in September 2019 and virtually in June

2020. The activity had in attendance a diverse range of

stakeholders drawn from the security agencies,

Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies

(MDAs), Traditional Institutions and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

The training seeks to change the narratives of focal state government officials and their

institutions to having an improved ability and

comprehensive approach to prevent violence and

Figure 26: Group Photograph during

advocacy and familiarization visits carried

out by Search’s Benue State New Project

Coordinator to the Benue State Vigilante

Command

Figure 27: Cross section of Participants at the

Conflict Transformation and human rights

training held in September 2019



impunity, enhanced accountability as responders in protecting the rights of both farmers and

herders. There was robust interaction among the stakeholders who were engaged in group

discussions to further deepen relationships and synergy.

A Participant shared that the collaborative approach had

helped him to resolve a conflict scenario between motorcycle

riders and noted that using his learning on collaboration was

useful as he was able to resolve the dispute amicably. Other

participants had the following feedback from the training:

Learned about the adversarial approach to conflict which is

aggressive in nature and also that conflict is neither positive nor

negative, another participant learnt the concept of empathy by

acknowledging and putting himself in the other person’s shoes.

A Participant also learnt that the best approach in responding to conflict is collaboration as it

gives a win-win solution while another Participant learnt the five responses to conflict and how

to apply each approach depending on the particular conflict issues while pointing out that the

best of all the responses is collaboration. Another

Participant expressed his excitement at participating in

the Training. He highlighted that he had learnt that

there was the need to adopt the collaborative approach

towards resolving conflicts as against the adversarial

approach which he had used previously. He further

stated that with the knowledge gained at the training,

he was sure that most of his engagements would

henceforth seek to end with win-win situations that

would further promote healthy relationships. Another

Participant shared that he would ensure to deploy more empathy in the discharge of his duties

towards effective transformation of conflict.

The following quotes were gotten from the post training

evaluation on the participants:

● “Previously Security was all about reactive in terms of

arrests and prosecution, but this training has helped in

diversifying our security approach”.

● “I thought that conflict and violence are synonymous, but

now have a new perspective.”

● “Six months ago I would never have had virtual training. I

am privileged to participate in virtual training for two days.

Figure 28: Screenshots from the virtual 2

days Joint Conflict transformation and

human rights training for Government

Actors across Benue, Nasarawa and

Plateau States

Figure 29: Participants during the conflict

transformation training held at Benue State

Figure 30: Screenshots from the virtual 2

days Joint Conflict transformation and

human rights training for Government

Actors across Benue, Nasarawa and

Plateau States



This I can practice in my organization. Thank you Search for Common Ground for this

opportunity”.

● “Last year if any of my subordinates' inadequacy comes to my knowledge I will without

hesitation notify him in writing and demand he/she submit an explanation as to why

he/she should not be punished but now I listen with empathy.”

● “Months back I would never have chatted with counterparts from Nasarawa and Benue

states, but look at me now discussing with them about our region's future for the past 2

days”.

● “I have been empowered to communicate up down involving all categories of people in

terms of rights, societal issues etc”.

While the comparative analysis of the Pre and Post test of all the Conflict Transformation,

Human Rights and Dialogue Training for Government Actors held in September 2019 showed an

8.4 average Percentage (%) change in knowledge gained, the training held with the actors

virtually in June 2020 showed an average of 22% knowledge increase. Breakdown of Conflict

Sensitivity Training held for Government Actors can be found on Annex H (Table 5).


Activity 3.1 Conflict Sensitivity Training to Journalists

This activity was completed in the first year of the project. From November 2018 to May 2019,

Search held three Conflict Sensitivity Trainings engaging 96 participants (65 male, 31 female), one

in each of the three target states. The project targeted three training sessions for Journalists

which were successfully implemented and targets met.

Activity 3.2 Conflict Sensitivity Media Roundtables

In the second year of the project, Search convened three virtual conflict sensitivity media

roundtables with stakeholders in Plateau, Benue and Nasarawa States on 4th, 23rd and 25th June

2020 with the theme: “From Herding to Sedentarisation: Exploring the issues, Opportunities

and challenges of farmer-herder conflict in the middle belt”. The media round table had in

attendance 91 stakeholders comprising 55 male and 36 female from the media, relevant

Government Ministries, departments and Agencies, Security Agencies and Civil Society

Organisations from the State PAD.

The media roundtables featured three media and

peacebuilding experts who facilitated discussions which

improved awareness on critical stakeholders across the three

states on the causes of farmer and herder conflicts,

recommendations for managing and reporting incidents of

the related conflicts by the media and other stakeholders in



attendance. It also improved the understanding of the media and stakeholders on human rights

violations and gave recommendations on promoting conflict sensitive reporting of the human

rights abuses and violations emerging from the occurrence of farmer and herder conflicts.

Key recommendations and consensus reached at the media round table across the project states

include: The Media was encouraged to ensure objective reportage, citing the dangers of the

effect of a one sided story. This is said to be

dangerous and capable of derailing the peace

enjoyed in communities. The need for

community policing was also emphasized, as this

is important and crucial in ensuring ownership of

the process. The need for sensitization of the

populace was also encouraged to be deployed in

languages most conversant with them such that

they understand better and in time the messages

intended for their consumption. Table on the

number of media round tables is contained in

Annex I (Table 6).

Activity 3.3 Media Fellowships

The fellowship objective is to enhance public understanding of the farmer-herder conflicts by

promoting conflict sensitive content and countering hate speech, stereotypes, biases, and

negative narratives that fuel violence, while further building on the skills and knowledge of the

trained journalists in the second year of the project. Search engaged 21 media fellows in the first

and second quarter while a fellow due to new job requirements dropped hence 20 fellows

completed the programme at the end of July 2020.

The fellows have continued to attend all the project activities (CSADs, PADs, Conflict

transformation, Human Right and Dialogue training) in all the three states and focal LGAs of

project implementation. Each fellow has continued to submit at least a product (Jingles, News

report, Radio program etc.) every month. Overall, through Search engagement across the three

states the media fellows now have access to meet with most of the stakeholders from the

farmers-herders communities that are worst hit by the violent conflicts, which served as a basis

for balancing their reports/stories on the conflicts. It was challenging for the fellows before now

to meet with leaders from the two groups.

Figure 31: Screenshots from the virtual joint two days conflict

sensitivity Media Round Table held at Nasarawa States in

June 2020



Seember Tsevende, who works with Harvest FM (FRCN) in

Makurdi the capital city of Benue state, organized a step

down training for her colleagues on the 30th of October

2019. She stepped down the knowledge she acquired from

the fellowship. A total of 14 staff were in attendance. She

had this to say:

“My General Manager, Mr Akange Nyagba, supports

anything I am doing for Search. I told my acting Head of Department (HOD), who also knows I am

a media fellow, that I wanted to talk to the program staff on Search's impact on me and the

activities I am involved in through the fellowship.

In January 2020, the team and mentor visited the fellows in their respective states for a review

of their objectives, to evaluate their work and impact so far, develop a new work plan, work on

challenges encountered and also to strategize towards the end of project activities with a visit to

the Dutch embassy to appreciate them for the opportunity to learn and impact the society on

conflict- sensitive reportage which was one of the identified problems in the farmer - herder

conflict at the inception of the project.

Key highlights of the media fellow’s engagements across the States include the joint interview

carried out by the media fellows from Nasarawa State with the Miyetti Allah leadership which

highlighted the issues and concerns raised from the side of the herders towards joint solutions

to the Farmer-Herder conflicts in the state and was broadcasted by media houses in the State.

The Media fellows in Plateau reported changing the narrative of the conflict across the different

media outfits with over 50 different news stories, features, articles, programs and jingles that

were produced that speak to the farmer herder conflict, policies and solutions to the conflict. In

Benue State, the fellows reported active participation in Search’s engagements and reports on

themes such as the IDPs, NLTP, Youths and peace building in the state, and reports on the

sensitization of the people on the controversial Anti-Open Grazing law in the state. Media fellows

from Benue also carried out two step down training sessions done at two media stations, NTA

and FRCN and at the NUJ press center. The step down training at the NUJ center was conducted

by the fellows themselves to other colleagues of the media. They focused on the topic, “Framing”.

The several ways of framing news to avoid causing harm. The step down from FRCN was done on

October 30, 2019 and the media fellow discussed the topics she learnt from the training. The aim

was to solicit support from her colleagues in producing programs that have peace themes and

peace related so that peace efforts can be sustained in Benue state.

Other notable contents produced by the fellows include resolutions from the inter-border

meetings held between the Government of Nasarawa and Benue at the conflict prone border



area axis which is divided into two sectors of the Western sector which connects from Akwanaja

to Kadarko and the Eastern sector which connects from Kadarko to Jangarigari in Awe LGA of

Nasarawa State. /Towards resolving the root causes and reaching resolutions for sustainable

peace, a Media Fellow in Plateau published content to increase awareness on the Tonga Cattle

market mechanism put in place by the market authorities to checkmate cattle rustling and entry

of unverified herders into the market to trade.

In preparation for the close out of the media fellowship

programme ahead of the project’s closing in August,

Search held a one day reflection and sustainability

meeting with media fellows across Benue, Nasarawa

and Plateau States on 14th July 2020 at Nasarawa State.

The meeting with the fellows was convened for the

media fellows to reflect on the impacts, successes,

lessons learnt and challenges of the media fellowship

programme. The reflection meeting also highlighted

opportunities for the fellows to incorporate their key lessons from the fellowship in their daily

endeavors as journalists with specialization in peacebuilding through their engagements in the

fellowship. The meeting also afforded the fellows the opportunity to agree on modalities for the

sustainability of the fellowship after search’s funding ends in August as well as development of

action plans for engagement of relevant stakeholders to commit and buy into the programme.

As part of the close out and reflection activity, individual testimonials of media fellows for the

duration of the fellowship were recorded on site, and later developed into a documentary for the

project which would be communicated to the donor. A compendium of contents from the

fellowship has also been produced and will be included as an attachment to this report.

Activity 3.4 Social Media Campaign

Search’s social media campaign has continued to enhance the public’s understanding of the

farmer-herder conflicts by promoting conflict sensitive contents and, countering hate speech,

stereotypes, biases and negative narratives that fuel violence. In the second year of the project,

Search engaged a total of 53,998 persons as a result of production and dissemination of project

related content pertaining to the promotion of freedom of religion and beliefs. 17 episodes of an

audio drama series titled “our heritage” which disseminated key messages on key areas for

escalating conflicts, dispelling rumors, countering hate speech and promoting peaceful

coexistence between farmers and herders which can be accessed via

https://soundcloud.com/sfcg-nigeria/sets/our-heritage-audio-drama-series.

Figure 32: Group Photograph of the Media Fellows

and Search Team during the Reflection and

Sustainability Meeting

https://soundcloud.com/sfcg-nigeria/sets/our-heritage-audio-drama-series



Search also produced seven podcasts which featured key opinion leaders comprising 1 male and

1 female who are well known in the public space focused on “effective policy initiatives for

curbing security breaches amidst covid-19 pandemic and the world malaria day with the theme

‘Zero Malaria starts with me’. Other podcasts featured key opinion leaders in persons of Sarah

Ochekpe (former minister of water resources), Hon. Yakubu Dakwak (Chief Justice of Plateau

State) and Bitrus Kaze (former member, representing Jos South/Jos north in the Federal House

of Representatives). The podcast focused on “effective policy initiatives for curbing security

breaches amidst COVID-19 pandemic, "Influencing Effective Policy Initiatives Targeted at Curbing

Security Breaches Amidst Covid-19, Especially Between Farmers and Herders", Towards Ensuring

Sustainable Synergies Between Farmers and Herders in Nigeria’s Middle belt During in and Off

Seasons and the world malaria day with the theme ‘Zero Malaria starts with me’. These contents

were disseminated across Search’s social media platforms consisting of Facebook, twitter and

Instagram via these links. All of these initiatives are geared towards continuous engagement of

stakeholders on key areas where there are escalating conflicts, to dispel rumours, countering

hate speech and promoting peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders.

6. M&E Activities

Monitoring Visits:

In the reporting period, the DMEL team conducted project activity monitoring visits between

September to October 2019 to the three project’s focal states (Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau

States). The visit was aimed at assessing the significance and effectiveness of project activities

and to determine to what extent the project has been able to meet its set objectives and what,

if any, changes that could be made to effective programming. The visit was used to monitor

activity implementation and engagements between farmers, herders, government and security

officials and other project stakeholders. The findings from the visits revealed that the perceptions

of community members were positively changing, as relationships between farmers and herders

were improved through the adaptation of collaboration in conflict resolution at the community

level. The majority of respondents from Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGA revealed that through

recommendations and action plans made at CSAD platforms, they have been able to break the

barriers of “no go areas” in some of their communities. It was also very clear that the dialogue

has had a great impact on the LGAs as they were able to set up “peace committees” saddled with

the responsibility of resolving conflict issues resulting from clashes between farmers and herders.

The DMEL team also conducted project-wide monitoring visits in July 2020 which served as the

final internal evaluation of the project. The visits were aimed at assessing the impact,

sustainability, key learnings, and challenges of the project in the 8 LGAs of project

implementation. The visit targeted CSAD, PAD, Media Fellows, and government actors in the

three project implementing states. Findings from the mission reveal that the project has been

https://soundcloud.com/sfcg-nigeria/podcast-sarah-ochekpe

https://soundcloud.com/sfcg-nigeria/podcast-sarah-ochekpe



impactful in transforming the farmer-herder conflict in Benue, Plateau, and Nasarawa States,

with stated evidence of collaboration between farmers and herders in mitigating conflict issues

in their immediate and neighboring communities, as well as improved collaboration between

civil society actors, Federal government agencies, the media, farmers, and herders in utilizing

the early warning response mechanism put in place by Search in conflict resolution, crisis

management and conflict prevention in different communities of the project’s implementing

states leading to the arrest of perpetrators of criminal acts in their various communities.

Several stories of impact are captured in Annex A.

Needs Assessment:

As a need to continue programme implementation amidst the COVID 19 global pandemic,

Search’s DMEL team conducted a needs assessment to stakeholders, to ascertain the best digital

platform for programme implementation. This helped in programme mitigation decisions despite

the pandemic, and in the reporting period led to the digital implementation of activities cutting

across 8 Peace Architecture Dialogues (PAD), 3 Conflict Sensitivity Media Roundtables, 1 Conflict

Transformation and Human Rights Training to Government Actors and 1 Middle-belt Regional

Peace Architecture Dialogue, all activities reaching a total of 493 participants between the

months of May-June 2020. As a result of administering an online training evaluation at the

Conflict Transformation and Human Rights Training to Government Actors, a 22% increase in

knowledge gained was recorded.

The DMEL team also conducted detailed key informant interviews with PAD members during the

national lockdown to ascertain the impact of COVID 19 on programming and the peace process

in farming and herding communities of the Middlebelt. Findings from phone interviews revealed

that despite the restriction imposed by the Federal and State governments on movement and

social interaction, there were cases of violent attacks in some communities in Benue and

Nasarawa States. However, stakeholders also stated that the pandemic has impacted on the

existing social ties between farming and herding communities, and applauded Search’s team for

their swift response in adopting virtual platforms for engaging with stakeholders to continue the

peacebuilding process through the implementation of action plans in mitigating violent conflicts

between farmers and herders in the Middle belt region.

Data Quality Assessment:

In the reporting period, the team conducted 2 Data Quality Assessment, the first was on the 14th

of October 2019 which was aimed at assessing the quality of project data, filing system and

documentation. Findings from the DQA revealed that most participants during activities do not

fill complete information on the data collection tool (attendance sheets). It was recommended

that during activities, staff should closely monitor and guide participants in filling the attendance

sheets.



The second DQA was conducted in July 2020 to improve data quality in the Middlebelt, and to

validate all programme activity data from the inception of the project (September 2018 to August

2020). Some notable findings were;

● The project has achieved a 92% implementation rate in activities conducted, leaving 8%

pending outputs which is as a result of the project not meeting the expected number of

Media Fellows to be reached on the activity. This was measured by the project target for

each activity against the overall cumulative output of project activities.

● 42% of government actors trained on Conflict Transformation and Human Rights reported

utilization of the knowledge and skills gained to improve their work three to six months

post-training. Some Government Actors attested to the impact of the training by their

ability in conducting sensitization campaigns on the anti-open grazing law in Benue state,

and in assisting in checkmating the usual excess in human rights violation in their

communities.

● The Dutch project has a gender-parity goal of a minimum 40% female and 60% male

representation, however, the current female representation as at August 2020 indicates

a 29% female and 71% male representation.

● About 53,998 persons have been reached via social media campaigns on the Dutch

project since inception.

● Over 225 conflict-sensitive media contents were produced by Media Fellows on the

project.

● 35% of journalists trained on Conflict-sensitivity reported utilization of the knowledge and

skills gained from Search to improve their work three to six months post-training. The

Journalists have utilised skills from the training in training and sharing ideas with their

media colleagues in changing the negative narrative of the farmer-herder conflict in the

middle belt. They have also utilised the skills gained from Search’s training in producing

media contents that deescalate conflicts between farmers and herders in the Middle-belt.

● 44% of participants reported understanding of conflict-sensitive reporting of human

rights violations and abuses as a result of participation in media round tables in Benue,

Nasarawa and Plateau states of project implementation.

● 45% of federal and focal state government officials reported improved ability and

comprehensive approaches to prevent violence and impunity.

● 35% of media practitioners reported having increased their capacity to provide coverage

on addressing impunity, enhancing accountability and rule of law in addressing the

causes, drivers and consequences of farmer-herder conflict in the 3 focal states of project

implementation. Respondents surveyed have utilized the skills gained from these

trainings in publishing conflict-sensitive media stories on the farmer-herder conflict

(https://www.nextedition.com.ng/three-killed-as-opws-captures-militia-leader-in-

benue-communal-clash). The Media practitioners also conducted sensitization training to

people living with disabilities on how to be conflict-sensitive in their contribution in

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/three-killed-as-opws-captures-militia-leader-in-benue-communal-clash




maintaining peace in their communities. Other respondents have trained women in their

communities on conflict sensitivity and mitigation approaches in preventing violent

conflict in their communities.

Action Plans:

While some of the action plans developed in the reporting period were implemented, a few that

required a large amount of funds or logistics were left out due to the lack of funds to support the

necessary actions. Overall, community members were appreciative of the inclusiveness and

neutrality of Search’s work in how much respect for human rights and traditions of the people

was emphasized and the participatory approaches adopted.

Review and Reflection Meetings:

As part of activities to support quality, innovative and effective project implementation, the

DMEL unit in close collaboration with the programme team organized two quarterly reflection

meetings, one with the Media Fellows and the second with programme, PAL and DMEL staff. The

Reflection meetings were focused on assessing the overall achievements, sustainability of

established platforms by Search, obtaining key learnings and challenges of project

implementation and to obtain recommendations. The programme team identified the adoption

of Search’s CSAD model by the Plateau State Government’s Peacebuilding agency as a major

project achievement. The adoption of Search’s CSAD methodology was done through the

replication of similar CSAD structures in the 17 LGAs with front desk officers in each LGA who will

serve as focal persons in Plateau State.

A major challenge identified by the programme team was the frequent transition of Local

Government Chairmen across the three states which poses to be a challenge to the sustainability

of Search’s CSAD initiative. Also, the inability to meet the project’s gender benchmark was an

identified challenge, inadequate provision of visibility materials on the project, the lack of

coordination amongst the CSADs across the Project States, Non-inclusion of herders in decision

making structures in the Project States.

It was recommended at the Reflection meeting that a constant follow up with stakeholders be

done to ensure the sustainability of established platforms by Search in strengthening community

members in taking charge of collaboration with the LGA and at the state level. Also, the

programme team recommended that Search should start entrenching stipends for implementing

action plans in subsequent project proposals. Team members also need to explore the feasibility

of using locally acceptable structures and platforms at the community level that are less capital

intensive and can be sustainable by communities beyond the project.



7. Sustainability

By engaging local actors and stakeholders directly in the target areas, building relationships

between them and increasing their capacity to address conflict issues in their communities,

Search’s project impact will be sustained by the participants as they continue to take ownership

of this approach and the platforms used to foster collaboration and address the causes of conflict

between farmers and herders. This has been evident in the stories shared above that outline

their newfound capacity to respond to and address conflict issues before violence breaks out or

spreads. The commitment of the participants to the project platforms, particularly the CSAD,

have also demonstrated their interest in sustaining the structure beyond the scope of Search’s

intervention. The support of local authorities has been evidenced by their participation in the

CSAD meetings, such as the Local Government Chairman who personally participate in the CSAD

meetings in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Otukpo LGAs, rather than sending representatives. The LGA

authorities have also approved the use of their chamber halls free of charge for the CSAD

meetings across the three states. The Jos South LGA CSAD even registered with the Corporate

Affairs Commission (CAC) to become a legal platform with bank account to enable them solicit

funding on their own.

Furthermore, government interest in sustaining the project CSAD and PAD platforms has

provided an additional opportunity to further institutionalize the project platforms. While the

PPBA had already taken ownership of the Plateau state PAD prior to this project, they are now

also expressing their interest in adopting and sustaining the CSAD throughout the state as well.

Aside from the CSAD in the project, the PAD began independently holding CSAD meetings in

Shendam and Pankshin LGAs. Search will be coordinating with the PPBA to further expand their

coverage of CSAD across the state, including sustainability planning for those supported by the

project. Having seen the impact the PPBA has had in Plateau state after the PAD advocating for

its establishment, the PAD in Nasarawa and Benue states are also proposing a state agency or

commission to be established. Search will support the PAD and the state governments where

possible to follow through on this action plan.

• The CSAD platform in all the project focal states and LGAs is beginning to hold self

sponsored meetings in which the reports are usually submitted to Search. This will ensure

sustainability of the project.

● The Local Government of all the 8 LGA’s of project implementation have continued to

support the project with free halls for meetings within their various secretariats.

● The PAD platform across Benue and Nasarawa States are beginning to advocate for the

establishment of a Peace Commission in the State.

● Through several meetings and recommendations of the CSAD, the chairman of Otukpo

LGA through the Benue State government donated a Hilux van to the vigilante group for

effective response on security issues at the community level. The Vigilante Group of



Nigeria (VGN) will continue to use the Van to secure their community even after the

project has ended.

● Many Whatsapp platforms that exist amongst stakeholders under the project allow for

meetings, information sharing on early warning and response in most of the communities.

● The CSAD platform in Plateau through its self-

sponsored sustainability plan, held the first

meeting on January 28, 2020 in Jos North LGA and

Barkin-Ladi. The meeting was attended by Search

for Common Ground staff, with 28 members, 19

males and 6 females. Matter arising from the

meeting was to enhance efforts for advocacy to

the Chairman of the council and lawmakers

representing the LGA at the state assembly

towards sponsorship of the platform on action

plans implementation.

● Benue State Planning Commission and Ministry of Women Affairs has provided a venue

for the PAD meetings in the State in order to support the sustainability of the Peace

Architecture Dialogue Platform. Benue State Planning commission which currently

serves as the Chair of the Peace Architecture Dialogue in the State has also hosted the

steering committee meetings for its members as well as coordinated the process of

convening and inviting key stakeholders to attend the Peace Architecture Dialogue

meetings.

● The CSAD platform in Otukpo LGA in Benue State continued to implement action plans

developed during the CSAD meetings supported by Search on its own hence promoting

peaceful coexistence in the community.

● The CSAD platform in Guma LGA in Benue State has also engaged the Chairman of the

Local Government on the need for continued funding of CSAD meetings in the LGA after

Search’s funding ends in order to ensure its sustainability. The LGA Chairman who

affirmed the effectiveness of CSAD in the LGA committed to supporting subsequent

CSAD meetings in the LGA once Search’s support is over.

● The Peace Architecture Dialogue in Benue is working with other International Non-

Governmental Organisations and UN Agencies who are also working in the State

towards the sustainability of the Peace Architecture Dialogue through the establishment

of the State Peace Establishments. The Organisations include International Alert, UNDP

and UN Women. Search has also the process of engaging the Legislature in the State

through an advocacy visit to the Majority Leader of Benue State House of Assembly who

promised the support of the Legislature in getting the bill for establishment of Benue

State Peace Agency/Commission passed into law.

Figure 33: Jos North CSAD at one of their self

sponsored meeting



● In Keana LGA, members of the CSAD held their first self sponsored meeting on 5th of

November 2019. 40 Members were in

attendance and they brainstormed on how

early warning incidences will be reported for

immediate response.

● Search and Benue State PAD obtained commitment from the Majority Leaders and other

Principal Officers of Benue State House of Assembly to support the process of passing into

Law the “The Bill for the Establishment of Benue State Peace Commission or Agency”. It

is expected that once the bill is passed into Law and assented to by the Governor, the

Commission or agency will sustain the engagements of the State PAD.

● The Paramount Rulers of Keana and Doma in Nasarawa State have pledged their

continued support for Nasarawa State PAD and the CSADs in their domains. This

commitment will further promote the credibility of the State PADs and initiatives of the

CSADs.

● The CSAD at Otukpo LGA in Nasarawa State has continued the process of formal

registration as a Community Based Organisation with the Local Government Authorities.

They have also designed and agreed on a logo and letterhead for all correspondence of

the CSAD. The CSAD at Otukpo has also agreed to produce identification cards for all its

members for easy identification during its peace engagements with key stakeholders.

These actions will no doubt sustain the CSAD in Otukpo LGA beyond the project

intervention. Search will in the next reporting period provide close mentorship and

support towards formal transition of the CSAD to a Community Based Organisation with

all organizational structures and systems in place.

● The CSADs in 8 LGAs across Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau States has continued to

convene self -sponsored multistakeholder dialogues around rising conflicts which has led

to peaceful resolution of lingering farmer and herder conflicts and also further promoted

the sustainability of our intervention. This has also further improved communication and

collaboration between community members and relevant stakeholders hence improving

their early warning and early management systems.

Figure 33: Cross section of Keana CSAD members

during their first self sponsored meeting



● The advocacy meetings with Benue State House of Assembly and the Special Adviser to

Benue State Governor on Conflict Resolution has reiterated the commitment of the

Governors of both States to sustaining the State Peace Architecture Dialogues beyond

Search’s funding on the Dutch Project due to the notable impacts of improved

collaboration and communication amongst stakeholders as well as improved peaceful

coexistence in the Project LGAs and States. The Legislators at Benue State House of

Assembly has promised to support the passage Benue State Peace Commission Law.

● The PAD in Nasarawa State has elected an interim executive led by the Special Adviser to

the Governor on SDGs who has promised to support the meetings of the PAD for the next

three months covering August to November 2020 until the State Government finally takes

up the funding of the PAD in the State.

● Findings from the responses from FGD and KII conducted with 105 stakeholders during

the monitoring visit on the sustainability of the platforms developed by Search post-

funding revealed a willingness and palpable evidence of the sustainability of the CSAD and

PAD platforms in the states of project implementation. This was evident in actions already

taken by members in ensuring the sustainability of the platforms developed by Search.

CSAD members in Keana, Otukpo, Jos North are already making financial contributions

ranging from the sum of 300 to 500 naira to implement group-sponsored CSAD meetings

and implementation of Action Plans at the LGAs. Members of the CSAD in Keana have

gone as far as adopting every Tuesday of the week for their group-sponsored meetings

without Search’s presence. There is great optimism of the CSAD platform being

institutionalized by the Local Government Council in Otukpo LGA as both the chairman

and his representative are members of the CSAD platforms and are working to see that

this happens. CSAD platforms across the three states have commenced self-sponsored

meetings except for Doma LGA in Nasarawa state has not yet specified in clear terms

when they will commence meetings.

● Members of the PAD have gone as far as producing Identity cards for carrying out action

plans in Otukpo and have been having group-sponsored CSAD meetings. Efforts in Jos

North and Barkin-Ladi LGA CSAD platforms have been made to register the CSAD with the

Corporate Affairs Commission, already, a logo and letterhead have been created and

members conduct group-sponsored meetings that take place monthly.

8. Output Tracker

Activity

Number Activity Output

Year 2

Targe

t

Year 2

Outputs

Overall

Target

Outputs

Overall

Cumulativ

e Outputs

Pending Notes



Goal: Prevent violence and the destruction of lives and properties resulting from protracted violent

conflicts between farmers and herders while combating impunity and promoting the freedom of religions

and belief in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria.

Objective 1: To increase collaboration between farmer and herder communities to develop joint,

effective, sustainable local mechanisms for early warning response, dispute management, and violence

prevention and mitigation at community level.

Act 1.1 Conflict

Transformation,

Human Rights, and

Dialogue Training

6 6 6 6 0 Completed.

Act 1.2 Transformative

Dialogue Processes


Act 1.3 CSAD 31 29 72 75 0 Completed.

Objective 2: To mobilize religious leaders and policymakers to jointly counter violent rhetoric through

positive public messages of religious pluralism and respect of human rights.

Act 2.1 Middle Belt State

PAD Forum on

Farmer-Herder

Issues

2 3 3 3 0 Completed

Act 2.2 State PAD Follow-up

Meetings

29 26 24 28 0 Completed

Act 2.3 Advocacy Visits and

Bilateral Meetings


Act 2.4 Conflict

Transformation and

Human Rights

Training

1 1 4 4 0 Completed

Objective 3: To enhance public understanding of the farmer-herder conflicts by promoting conflict

sensitive contents and countering hate speech, stereotypes, biases, and negative narratives that fuel

violence.



Act 3.1 Conflict Sensitivity

Training to

Journalists


Act 3.2 Conflict Sensitivity

Media Roundtables


Act 3.3 Media Fellowships 0 0 36 20 16 The number of Media fellows was originally 21 from the start of the project, but one of the fellows had to withdraw from the fellowship when he was offered employment by the Nigerian Navy.

Act 3.4 Social Media

Campaign

49

camp

aigns

49

campaig

ns

5000 53,998 0 The media campaign was an ongoing campaign with a target of 5000. However, there is no limited threshold for campaigns and we ensured the social media handles were regularly updated with context-based contents.



Annex A: Story of Impact

1. A PEACE AMBASSADOR Mr Isa Abubakar is a hardworking and dedicated member of the Community Security Architecture Dialogue (CSAD) representing the herder community and resides at Yalwa Ediya Community in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Isa was initially a regular member of the community who was angry over the recurrent cycle of violent conflicts resulting from the farmer-herder conflict but did not possess the skills or platform to do anything concerning the problem. He was recommended and selected to represent his community in the CSAD platform. As a member, he was trained on Conflict Transformation Human Right and Dialogue and also participated in the transformative dialogue processes (Intra and inter dialogues) in his community. These trainings changed his perspective and perception of the conflict between farmers and herders that has been recurring in his community. The training gave him a sense of purpose as he realised that so many people within his community do not have this exposure or knowledge, so he began to step down what he has learnt to other community members who were not opportune to participate in the training.

Isa became an advocate of peace in his community and was recognised by all Ardo’s and community leaders within and outside his community. He was later elected secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in Aykye as a result of his achievements. Using the skills he has acquired, he was able to; ● successfully step-down what he learnt to 240

youths and elders within and outside his community

● led a team of CSAD members to sensitise the

herders communities on the dangers and effects of

underage grazing after which an agreement was reached in

the community to ensure that children aged 10 and below

are not allowed to go for grazing alone but with other adults

to supervise and monitor them.

● resolved a conflict between a herder and a farmer

that would have resulted in violence using the skills of

mediation acquired from the trainings he attended in

Search’s activities

● He also enlightened 50 youths who abuse drugs and other substances on the dangers and effects of those

drugs they consume and they swore never to partake in the act again and he is currently following up

with them and encouraging them to continue what they have started.

MEDIA FOR SOCIAL GOOD

Juliana Olajide is a peace ambassador working at Ice FM University of Jos as the producer

of News and Current Affairs. She currently resides in the Jos-north Local Government Area

of Plateau State. Juliana applied for Search’s media Fellowship programme and got

accepted, and attests to the impact the fellowship has had on her approach in media

content design and audience perception of news reports on farmer-herder conflict in the

Middle-belt. As a peace ambassador, Juliana was inspired by lessons from the Fellowship

and decided to pass on all she has learned to younger media students across universities

in Nigeria. She conducted a virtual training on Peace Journalism on the 20th of January 2020

which had 400 students in attendance from different universities in Nigeria. As a result of

the Fellowship program, Juliana is currently mentoring a University student in Plateau



State on Peace Journalism. She is however saddened by the effect of COVID-19 on her broadcast station and is

currently exploring more creative and virtual ways of reaching her participants and mentees to continue

sensitising them on conflict-sensitive media reporting in the Middle-belt.

Ahemba Peter is the Nasarawa State correspondent of the Nigerian Pilot

Newspaper who currently lives in Keana Local Government Area (LGA) of

Nasarawa State. Prior to Search’s Media Fellowship, he did not have a sound grasp

on reporting conflict sensitive issues until the fellowship program. As a result of

the impact of the fellowship on him, Ahemba created a Peace and Conflict

Resolution Committee with members cutting across the three major ethnic

groups (Tiv, Alago and Fulani) in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa

State. Members of this committee have been able to mitigate the escalation of

conflict issues arising from interaction between herders and farmers in Keana, they

do this through dialogues with both herders and farmers in their communities. A

recorded feat from this committee Ahemba formed was the arrest of some

perpetrators of violence by a new gang known as ‘Tortiv Tse’ in Keana LGA, and

because of the proactive response of this committee leaders, a member of the

violent gang was apprehended and handed over to the police in Nasarawa State.

Due to some recorded success in peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Nasarawa, Plateau and

Benue States, Mr Ahemba recommended that Search should extend the programme to other States in the Middle-

belt so that farmers and herders can reap the benefits of peaceful coexistence among one another in the

remaining states of the Middle-belt such as Kogi and Kwara.

Alhaji Mohammed Husaini, the Chairman of Miyetti Allah

Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Nasarawa State

Chapter and PAD member was recently conferred with

Ambassador For Peace (JP) award of excellence by

Samuel Eduviere Global Ministries in affiliation with

Association of interfaith bishops and ministers of Nigeria

Inc. He was recognized for his contribution to

peacebuilding and the exemplary style of his leadership

in which he prioritizes the interest of others and

promotes inter-religious cooperation in Nasarawa State.

Alhaji Mohammed Husaini also led a sensitization

campaign to Tudun Fulani, Agyaragun Tofa and Lafia on

the CoronaVirus pandemic. The sensitization centered on personal and environmental hygiene, social distancing,

regular hand washing, self-isolation and the need of abiding by all regulations put in place by the Federal

government and WHO.



AN ADVOCATE FOR FORGIVENESS

Mrs. Martha Benjamin is an educator currently serving as the Headmistress of Pilot Science School Kakuruk in Gashish District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State. She is also an active member of the Community Security Architecture Dialogue (CSAD) in Barkin Ladi LGA. In 2012, Mrs Martha had just given birth to triplets before an attack on her community by

suspected herdsmen on the 7th of July 2012, during this attack,

her car was burnt and some of the clothes of her newly born children and other properties were destroyed by the attackers. After this attack, she developed a detestation towards herders and in her words she said; ‘‘after the attack on my home by suspected herders in 2012, I developed a grave hatred towards just any herder I saw in my community and never wanted to have anything to do with them.’’ On the 23rd of June 2018, Mrs Martha’s home was attacked again by suspected herders and this time, her house was burnt, her animal farm destroyed and about six teachers she worked with killed on their way to school. After the second attack, her detestation for herders only became worse.

However, in 2018, she joined the CSAD platform and through the trauma awareness training conducted by Search for Common Ground to members of the CSAD, she was able to heal and forgive the crimes perpetrated against her and her community. Through the CSAD platform, she’s now able to interact and collaborate with herders in her community in resolving conflict issues between farmers and herders.

Mrs Martha teaches both children of farmers and herders in her school by admonishing them to learn from the effect of conflict on their education and peaceful coexistence. She recently carried out an advocacy visit to some youth in the herding communities educating them on the dangers of drugs and substance abuse and the need for

peaceful coexistence between youth from farming and herding communities of Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.

THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN EARLY WARNING-EARLY RESPONSE IN CONFLICT MITIGATION



2.

Mr Boniface Abraham is a seasoned journalist working as the Station Manager of Option 92.3 FM in Akwanga LGA of Nasarawa State; he is also one of the Media Fellows with Search for Common Ground. During one of his current affairs programmes on the radio in December 2019, a caller called to report an incident of farmer-herder conflict in the Buku community of Nasarawa State where there were already recorded deaths and killings of community members. On getting this information from his media platform, Mr Boniface quickly alerted and reported this to the Department of State Security Services (DSS), Local Government Chairman of Akwanga and the traditional ruler of Buku

community. With this information, the traditional leader and LGA Chairman called for a dialogue meeting between herders and farmers in Buku, of which Mr Boniface was granted an opportunity to share and facilitate the meeting. During the dialogue process, it was discovered that the grazing on farmlands by herders was what escalated the issue between farmers and herders of the Buku community. The conflicting parties were asked to dialogue and find a common ground to their challenges and this meeting has resulted in peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Buku. Since after this meeting, there have been no recorded reports on farmer-herder conflicts in the Buku community of Nasarawa State.

3. THE IMPACT OF CONFLICT-SENSITIVE MEDIA REPORTING

Over the years before Search’s Media Fellowship aimed at supporting selected trained journalists in producing relevant contents that help to demystify the farmer-herder conflicts, and de-escalate tensions that can fuel violence, Mr Masara Kim was known for his insensitive media reportage of conflict in Plateau State. He practiced what he termed ‘revolutionary journalism’ through the display of gruesome pictures of violence, believing this would spur affected communities to take action by whatever means necessary to safeguard their

communities.

However, in 2018, Kim was granted a space as a Media Fellow with Search for Common Ground and as a result of the conflict sensitive training and do no harm approach of Search, he learnt that violence doesn’t lead to peace and to never pass judgment on an issue without verifying the source of his news before publishing. With the media



Fellowship, his reporting approach was transformed from focusing on violence and destruction of lives to issues that affect lives after a disaster.

On the 19th of December 2019, the Plateau State Government returned victims (Internally Displaced Persons) of the violent attack that took place on the 23rd of June 2018 in Gashish District of Barkin Ladi LGA that led to the estimated death of 250 people. With the conflict sensitive media training Masara got from Search, he decided to do a photo

documentary about life after the return of the displaced persons in one of the villages affected by the June 2018 violent attack in Gashish. On getting to the Nghar village, a community also attacked in June 2018 with 86 people killed, Masara discovered that there was a water crisis in the community leading to waterborne diseases. Hence, he produced a photo documentary on the water crisis at Nghar village, the documentary was first published on Facebook on May 6, 2020 which attracted the sympathy of many viewers. A call came for Kim by two concerned volunteer families in faraway Port Harcourt Nigeria on the 8th May 2020. By 28th May 2020, under the sponsorship of Dr. Bayo Balogun and Dr. Chisom Ezeocha, a motorized borehole

was sank and commissioned amid jubilation by both native farmers and herders who till date use the facility and

have experienced less water related diseases in Nghar village of Plateau State. Find links to Kim’s published

stories on his media platforms below.

https://mkreporters.media/plateau-villager-dies-from-drinking-muddy-water-i-want-to-help-says-stranger/

https://mkreporters.media/meet-the-people-saving-plateaus-nghar-village-from-water-related-deaths/

https://mkreporters.media/plateau-hero-imam-strangers-sinking-borehole-in-my-village-feels-like-dream/ https://mkreporters.media/private-families-donate-first-borehole-in-attacked-plateau-village/ https://youtu.be/Th7ev6-4taw https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4378572128835564&id=100000484611336&sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=rOiMAz7TA7vqCCtr&d=w&vh=i

https://mkreporters.media/plateau-villager-dies-from-drinking-muddy-water-i-want-to-help-says-stranger/

https://mkreporters.media/meet-the-people-saving-plateaus-nghar-village-from-water-related-deaths/

https://mkreporters.media/plateau-hero-imam-strangers-sinking-borehole-in-my-village-feels-like-dream/

https://mkreporters.media/private-families-donate-first-borehole-in-attacked-plateau-village/

https://youtu.be/Th7ev6-4taw

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4378572128835564&id=100000484611336&sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=rOiMAz7TA7vqCCtr&d=w&vh=i

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=4378572128835564&id=100000484611336&sfnsn=scwspwa&extid=rOiMAz7TA7vqCCtr&d=w&vh=i



AN ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE

In May 2020, an argument ensued between two young male

herders over the purchase of a mobile phone. During the

argument, Hafsat Ibrahim, a CSAD member was at the scene and

witnessed the fracas between the two young men. Some days

later after the argument, one of the male herders engaged in the

argument was found dead on the road at a community known as

Bakin Golta in Keana LGA of Nasarawa state.

Hafsat quickly suspected that he must have been murdered by the

other herder whom he had an argument with. In order for the

community members not to blame the killing of the young herder

on farmers, Hafsat quickly reported to the leader of herders in

Keana LGA and told him she saw the two boys arguing vehemently

some days ago and suggested that the other herder be interrogated about the murder case. With her intervention,

the security force in Keana went to the suspect’s house only to find that he had absconded.

After a thorough search and investigation, the suspect was apprehended and he confessed to the crime of

murdering the young herder whom he had argued with some days ago. The perpetrator of the violent attack was

reprimanded and imprisoned for his crime. Without the intervention of Hafsat, this would have led to a reprisal

attack between farmers and herders, because there is a lingering perception that any violence meted against any

of the two groups, is caused by the other.

AN ADVOCATE FOR PEACE

Agnes Sunday is an advocate for peace, she is well known for

her mediating skills in conflict issues in Doma LGA, as a

member of the CSAD platform, she doesn’t relent in stepping

in to resolve conflict issues between farmers and herders in

her community. A major case Agnes had to resolve was one

involving her younger brother who went with his wife to work

on their melon farm, while at this, a herder grazed into their

farmland and an argument ensued between the two men. The

herder threw a stick at Agnes’s younger brother and his wife

threw a stick at the herder and this led to a fight. The case was

later reported to the village head at Iwashi in Doma LGA.

Agnes was invited to meditate on the issue as a CSAD member,

and after introducing herself as the elder sister of the farmer

engaged in the fight with the herder, she went on to speak on

the importance of a common ground in resolving the issue

between the two men. She did this by asking a simple question that solved the issue, her question was ‘‘is it the

crop that followed the cattle to their house or the other way round’’. The issue was resolved amicably with the



two men paying compensation to each other for the damage done. Afterwards, herders in her community

appreciated her unbiased mediation on the issue despite the fact her brother was involved.

THE IMPACT OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT ACTORS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS

In March 2020, officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps, National Drugs

Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Immigration

Service and Civil Defense Corps came together to work at a border town

between Plateau and Kaduna States. Ms. Vol Cholom of the Nigerian

Immigration Services and member of the CSAD platform in Riyom LGA was

among the officers on this operation. While in their line of duty at the

border town, a young herder came to her and alerted her of a planned

attack on the officers at the border by a group of armed robbers.

According to the herder, the plans of the armed men were to beat up the

officers and confiscate their arms. On getting this information from the

young herder, Vol quickly alerted other officers she was working with at

the border town to be alert at night and this effort from the herder

averted a violent attack on security forces when the armed men came to

attack the officers.

Her swift response to the early warning from the young herder saved their

lives and this goes on to show the collaboration between community

members, herders and the security in averting possible conflict issues in

Plateau State. According to Vol, she hadn’t seen that herder after this



incident in her 13 weeks of working at the border town and appreciates his dedication to peace in Plateau state..

AN ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN INCLUSION IN PEACEBUILDING

CSAD member of Jos South LGA and the Programme Officer of the Women for Positive Peacebuilding Initiative

Hajiya Hadiza Haruna saw the need to conduct a step down training to women in her communities after observing

the need for women’s opinion and inclusion in the farmer-herder conflict in Plateau state. With training received

from Search on the need for peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Plateau state, between January

to May 2019, Hajiya Hadiza trained 40 women in Kanam and Basa LGAs of Plateau State through a focus group

discussion. This training was focused on building the

self identity of women, their dignity and

resourcefulness in early warning and early response

mechanisms of mitigating conflict issues in their

communities. The outcome of the training made the

women more tolerant of each other’s inputs, religious

and cultural beliefs. They also saw the need to amplify

their voices in averting conflict issues in Kanam and

Basa LGAs of Plateau state.

Annex B: Media Fellows monthly report

PRINT SUBMISSION AND LINKS TO CONTENT PRODUCED BY MEDIA FELLOWS

The print submissions here highlighted covers from between the reporting period of September 2019 to August of

2020 and includes content published on Search’s social media handles.

SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2019

NAME LINKS/TITLE

JULIANA

OLAJIDE

http://bit.ly/2LILXN ; Peace in the Middle belt:

a pathway to guarantee food security.

http://bit.ly/2LILXNg



HIR

SCHOLASTIC

A

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/truth-panacea-

for-resolving-herder-farmer-conflicts-in-benue

https://247ureports.com/2019/08/herder-

farmer-conflicts-search-inducts-journalists-as-

media-fellows-in-the-middle-belt/

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/conflicts-

stakeholders-to-call-for-a-peace-commission-

in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/conflicts-

search-trains-govt-actors-on-confliict-

transformation-human-rights

https://247ureports.com/2019/09/insecurity-

ortom-ngo-call-for-inter-agency-collaboration-

in-ben

GOLOK

NANMWA

https://www.thestateofplateau.com/2019/09/pla

teau-moves-to-end-farmersherders.html

MASARA KIM https://mkreporters.media/how-nigerian-

highschool-graduate-is-solving-farmer-herder-

conflicts-using-e-waste/

https://www.masarakimsblog.com/2019/08/jos-

highschool-graduate-makes.html

DECEMBER 2019-MARCH 2020

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/truth-panacea-for-resolving-herder-farmer-conflicts-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/truth-panacea-for-resolving-herder-farmer-conflicts-in-benue

https://247ureports.com/2019/08/herder-farmer-conflicts-search-inducts-journalists-as-media-fellows-in-the-middle-belt/



https://www.nextedition.com.ng/conflicts-stakeholders-to-call-for-a-peace-commission-in-benue



https://www.nextedition.com.ng/conflicts-search-trains-govt-actors-on-confliict-transformation-human-rights



https://247ureports.com/2019/09/insecurity-ortom-ngo-call-for-inter-agency-collaboration-in-benue/



https://www.thestateofplateau.com/2019/09/plateau-moves-to-end-farmersherders.html

https://www.thestateofplateau.com/2019/09/plateau-moves-to-end-farmersherders.html

https://mkreporters.media/how-nigerian-highschool-graduate-is-solving-farmer-herder-conflicts-using-e-waste/



https://www.masarakimsblog.com/2019/08/jos-highschool-graduate-makes.html

https://www.masarakimsblog.com/2019/08/jos-highschool-graduate-makes.html



https://twitter.com/SFCGNigeria/status/121699140060621

6193


9936


1232


7840

https://twitter.com/MikeJobbins/status/122487343091224

1665


1168


2416


1633


9600


8865


3266


2385


4080


6497


1232

































JUNE-AUGUST 2020



June-Web

links

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/herdsmen-communal-clash-claim-11-lives-in-

benue

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/apga-chieftain-rapes-15-year-old-in-benue-

goes-into-hiding

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/house-of-rep-member-ngo-place-ransom-on-

alleged-rapist-of-15-year-old-in-benue

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-police-command-takes-custody-of-26-

yr-old-over-rape-of-minor

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-ndlea-nabs-three-suspects-with-300-

bags-of-indian-hemp

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/security-women-association-donates-safety-

items-to-makurdi-vigilante-group

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/fg-distributes-72209-bags-of-fertilizer-to-

victims-of-flood-herder-farmer-conflicts-in-benue

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/man-rapes-11-year-old-maid-in-benue-

blames-alcohol

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/otada-elders-call-for-arrest-prosecution-of-

rapist-in-otukpo

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/three-killed-as-opws-captures-militia-leader-

in-benue-communal-clash

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/opws-kill-two-bandits-recover-ak47-

ammunitions-in-benue

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/ortom-inaugurates-23-lg-chairmen-tasks-

themn-security

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-police-declare-war-on-cultists-arrest-

60-recover-arms

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/covid-19-ngo-christianaid-ukaid-donate-to-

vulnerable-households-in-benue

● https://mkreporters.media/though-displaced-by-violent-attacks-helen-a-

plateau-fashion-designer-hopes-to-train-farmer-herder-youths-to-keep-them-

from-crime/

● https://mkreporters.media/resumed-attacks-on-security-forces-any-thing-to-

watch-in-plateau/

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/herdsmen-communal-clash-claim-11-lives-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/herdsmen-communal-clash-claim-11-lives-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/apga-chieftain-rapes-15-year-old-in-benue-goes-into-hiding

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/apga-chieftain-rapes-15-year-old-in-benue-goes-into-hiding

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/house-of-rep-member-ngo-place-ransom-on-alleged-rapist-of-15-year-old-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/house-of-rep-member-ngo-place-ransom-on-alleged-rapist-of-15-year-old-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-police-command-takes-custody-of-26-yr-old-over-rape-of-minor

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-police-command-takes-custody-of-26-yr-old-over-rape-of-minor

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-ndlea-nabs-three-suspects-with-300-bags-of-indian-hemp

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-ndlea-nabs-three-suspects-with-300-bags-of-indian-hemp

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/security-women-association-donates-safety-items-to-makurdi-vigilante-group

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/security-women-association-donates-safety-items-to-makurdi-vigilante-group

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/fg-distributes-72209-bags-of-fertilizer-to-victims-of-flood-herder-farmer-conflicts-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/fg-distributes-72209-bags-of-fertilizer-to-victims-of-flood-herder-farmer-conflicts-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/man-rapes-11-year-old-maid-in-benue-blames-alcohol

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/man-rapes-11-year-old-maid-in-benue-blames-alcohol

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/otada-elders-call-for-arrest-prosecution-of-rapist-in-otukpo

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/otada-elders-call-for-arrest-prosecution-of-rapist-in-otukpo



https://www.nextedition.com.ng/opws-kill-two-bandits-recover-ak47-ammunitions-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/opws-kill-two-bandits-recover-ak47-ammunitions-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/ortom-inaugurates-23-lg-chairmen-tasks-them-on-security

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/ortom-inaugurates-23-lg-chairmen-tasks-them-on-security

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-police-declare-war-on-cultists-arrest-60-recover-arms

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-police-declare-war-on-cultists-arrest-60-recover-arms

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/covid-19-ngo-christianaid-ukaid-donate-to-vulnerable-households-in-benue

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/covid-19-ngo-christianaid-ukaid-donate-to-vulnerable-households-in-benue

https://mkreporters.media/though-displaced-by-violent-attacks-helen-a-plateau-fashion-designer-hopes-to-train-farmer-herder-youths-to-keep-them-from-crime/



https://mkreporters.media/resumed-attacks-on-security-forces-any-thing-to-watch-in-plateau/




July-Web

links

● https://mkreporters.media/though-displaced-by-violent-attacks-helen-a-

plateau-fashion-designer-hopes-to-train-farmer-herder-youths-to-keep-them-

from-crime/

● https://mkreporters.media/resumed-attacks-on-security-forces-any-thing-to-

watch-in-plateau/

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/herder-farmer-conflicts-pad-stakeholders-

recommend-multi-sectoral-approaches-to-end-feuds

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/intercep-translates-anti-open-grazing-law-

into-hausa-language

● https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-security-council-approves-

recruitment-of-2300-community-policing-personnel

June Print

Submissions

July Print

Submissions






https://www.nextedition.com.ng/herder-farmer-conflicts-pad-stakeholders-recommend-multi-sectoral-approaches-to-end-feuds

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/herder-farmer-conflicts-pad-stakeholders-recommend-multi-sectoral-approaches-to-end-feuds

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/intercep-translates-anti-open-grazing-law-into-hausa-language

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/intercep-translates-anti-open-grazing-law-into-hausa-language

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-security-council-approves-recruitment-of-2300-community-policing-personnel

https://www.nextedition.com.ng/benue-security-council-approves-recruitment-of-2300-community-policing-personnel



SOCIAL MEDIA PUBLICATION/POST

SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2019



DECEMBER 2019-FEBRUARY 2020


6193


9936


1232


7840


1665


1168


2416


1633


9600


8865


3266


2385


4080


6497


1232

































JUNE-AUGUST 2020

● FACEBOOK

● TWITTER



● SOUNDCLOUD



Annex C: Communique from Middle Belt Regional Peace Architecture Dialogue



Annex D:

Table 1: Transformative Dialogues Held in the Reporting Period

S/N Activity Date State/LGA Communities Number of

Participants

1 Intra dialogues with

Farmers Groups from

Menkat, Tsokluut and

Mambial Communities

7th August Plateau/Shen

dam

Menkat,

Tsokluut and

Mambial

(32 male, 4

female)


Herders Groups from

Menkat, Tsokluut and

Mambial Communities

8th August

2020

Plateau/Shen

dam

Menkat,

Tsokluut and

Mambial

(25 male, 5

female)

3 Intra Dialogue with

Farmers Groups from

Doka, Tunga Manja,

Gborigo and Ajimanka

Communities

11th August Nasarawa/Do

ma

Doka, Tunga

Manja, Gborigo

and Ajimanka

(28 male, 5

female)

4 Intra Dialogue with

Herders Groups from

Doka, Tunga Manja,

Gborigo and Ajimanka

Communities


ma

Doka, Tunga

Manja, Gborigo

and Ajimanka

(22 male, 11

female)


Farmers Groups from

Idadu, Oluwa and

Okpatta Communities


ma

Idadu, Oluwa

and Okpatta

(26 male, 6

female)




Herders Groups from

Idadu, Oluwa and

Okpatta Communities


ma

Idadu, Oluwa

and Okpatta

(26 male, 9

female)

7 Inter dialogues with

Farmers and Herders

Groups from Menkat,

Tsokluut and Mambial

Communities

17th August Plateau/Shen

dam

Menkat,

Tsokluut and

Mambial

(63 male, 12

female)

8 Inter Dialogue with

Farmers and Herders

Groups from Doka,

Tunga Manja, Gborigo

and Ajimanka

Communities


ma

Doka, Tunga

Manja, Gborigo

and Ajimanka

( 57 male, 15

female)

9 Inter dialogues with

Farmers and Herders

Groups from Idadu,

Oluwa and Okpatta

Communities


ma

Idadu, Oluwa

and Okpatta

(58 male, 18

female)

Total 422 ( Male-337, Female-85)

Annex E:

Table 2: CSAD Meetings Held in the Reporting Period

Date LGA State Number of Participants

1 11 September 2019 Riyom Plateau 46 (35 Male, 11 female)

2 12 September 2019 Barkin Ladi Plateau 50 (42 Male, 8 female)

3 18 September 2019 Keana Nasarawa 52 (33 Male, 19 female)

4 19 September 2019 Doma Nasarawa 40 (29 Male, 11 female)



5 23 September 2019 Guma Benue 38 ( 27 Male, 11 female)

6 24 September 2019 Otukpo Benue 31 (22 Male, 9 female)

7 02 October 2019 Jos North Plateau 42 ( 24 Male, 18 Female)

8 03 October 2019 Jos South Plateau 47 (30 Male, 17 Female)

9 22 October 2019 Keana Nasarawa 46 (30 Male, 16 Female)

10 23 October 2019 Doma Nasarawa 44 ( 32 Male, 12 Female)

11 28 October 2019 Guma Benue 41 (36 Male, 5 female)

12 12 November 2019 Guma Benue 45 (33 Male, 12 female)

13 13 November 2019 Otukpo Benue 38 (29 Male, 9 female)

14 25 November 2019 Keana Nasarawa 45 (32 Male, 13 female)

15 26 November 2019 Doma Nasarawa 41 (31 Male, 10 female)

16 20 January 2020 Guma Benue 36 (30 Male, 6 Female)

17 21 January 2020 Otukpo Benue 39 (26 Male, 13 Female)

18 4 February 2020 Doma Nasarawa 43 (29 Male, 14 Female)

19 5 February 2020 Keana Nasarawa 42 (28 Males, 14 Female)

20 19 February 2020 Otukpo Benue 35 (27 Male, 8 Female)

21 21 February 2020 Guma Benue 36 (27 Male, 9 Female)

3 June 2020 Guma Benue 25 (21 Male, 4 Female)

4 June 2020 Otukpo Benue 22 (16 Male, 6 Female)

26-27 June 2020 Jos North Plateau 44 (27 Male, 17 Female)

22 2-3 July 2020 Jos South Plateau 40 (25 Male, 15 Female)

23 8 July 2020 Barkin Ladi Plateau 35 (26 Male, 9 Female)

24 8 July 2020 Otukpo Benue 30 (21 Male, 9 Female)



25 9-10 July 2020 Riyom Plateau 37 (29 Male, 8 Female)

26 10 July 2020 Guma Benue 26 (19 Male, 7 Female)

Total: 1136 (816 male, 320 female)

Annex F:

Table 3: RPAD Meetings Held in the Reporting Period

S/N Mode of

Implementation

Date Number of Participants

1 Physical 11th – 12th December

2019

59 (45 male, 14 female)

2 Virtual 29th -30th June 2020 64 (41 male, 23 female)

3 Physical 4th -5th August 2020 50 ( 41 male, 9 female)


Annex G

Table 4: PAD Meetings Held in the Reporting Period

S/N Date Mode of

implemen

tation

State Number of Participants

1 19th September, 2019 Physical Nasarawa 34 (25male, 9female)

2 26th September,

2019

Physical Benue 43 (25male, 8female)

3 24th October, 20

19

Physical Nasarawa 34 ( 27 male, 7 female)

4 31st October, 20

19

Physical Benue 85 ( 54male, 31female)

5 21st November, 20

19

Physical Benue 40 (24male, 16female)



6

27th November, 20

19

Physical

Nassarawa 37( 28male, 9female)

7 16th January 2020 Physical Nasarawa 41 (Male-31, Female-

10)

8 23rd January 2020 Physical Benue 41 (Male-26, Female-

15)

9 20th February 2020 Physical Benue 35 (Male-24, Female-

11)

10 26th February 2020 Physical Nassarawa 43 ( Male-28, Female-

15)

11 12th March 2020 Physical Benue 41 (Male-26, Female-

15)

12 19th May 2020 Virtual Nasarawa 27 (Male-19, Female-8)

13 2nd June Virtual Benue 31 (19 male, 12 female)

14 9th June Virtual Nasarawa 40 (28 male, 12 female)

15 15th June Physical Benue 37 (28 male, 9 female)

16 22nd June Physical Benue 33 (22 male, 11 female)





21 13th July Physical Benue 38 (22 male, 16 female)

22 16th July Physical Nasarawa 39 (28 male, 11 female)

23 22nd July Physical Nasarawa 20 (0 male, 20 female)



24 23rd July Physical Benue 28 (0 male, 28 female)

25 10th August Physical Nasarawa 40 (27 males, 13 female)

26 13th August Physical Benue 38 (25 male, 13 female)

Total 971 ( 619 Male, 352 Female)

Annex H

Table 5: Conflict Transformation and Human Rights Trainings for Government Actors

Date State Number of

Participants

Average Increase in

Knowledge

1 10-12

September 2019 Benue

41 (25 Male, 16

Female) 19.5%

2 16 -18

September 2019 Nasarawa

42 (30 Male, 12

Female) 1.3%

3 24-26

September 2019 Plateau

41 (23 Male, 18

Female) 4.3%

4 16 – 17 June

2020

Virtual (Joint across Benue,

Nasarawa and Plateau)

36 (26 Male, 10

Female) 22%

Total: 160 ( 104 Male, 56 Female )

Annex I

Table 6: Conflict Sensitivity Media Round Tables Held in the Reporting Period

S/N Date State Number of Participants

1 4th June 2020 Plateau (11 male, 12 female)

2 23rd June 2020 Benue (17 male, 12 female)

3 25th June 2020 Nasarawa (27 male, 12 female)


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