Zamfara’s fragile peace threatened as aid program ends
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Stakeholders in Zamfara State, Nigeria, cautioned that recent gains in peace and security could be lost when the International Organisation for Migration’s (IOM) conflict-prevention program concludes.
Continuing armed banditry, kidnapping, disputes between farmers and herders, poverty, and climate change continue to threaten communities across the Northwest region of Nigeria. The Zamfara State Government, represented by Commissioner for Budget and Planning Yahya Zakari, asked for ongoing support from international partners to help communities rebuild and maintain peace.
The IOM’s Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience (CPCRR) Programme reached nearly 70,000 people with interventions focused on peacebuilding, economic recovery, climate resilience, and access to services. The program aimed to address the root causes of conflict by strengthening local peace structures and preventing disputes from escalating. The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, announced the EU had contributed over €5 million to the CPCRR project, emphasizing its focus on locally-led solutions.
Mignot urged the Zamfara government to take ownership of the strengthened structures and ensure their sustainability after the program ends, rather than allowing them to fail due to lack of funding.
