Strengthening Farmers-Herders Peacebuilding in Riyom: A policy Imperative

Strengthening Farmers-Herders Peacebuilding in Riyom: A policy Imperative

Executive Summary :

Violence in farmer and herder communities in Riyom LGA persists due to deep-rooted intercommunal tensions, unresolved grievances, and weak local dispute resolution mechanisms. These issues are compounded by displacement, which disrupts livelihoods and restricts land access for farming and grazing, while increasing vulnerability to drug abuse, criminal activity, and vigilante justice. The violence has led to the proliferation of small arms and exacerbated ethno-religious biases which further deepens mistrust and tensions. Previous responses have relied heavily on militarized strategies, which have failed to address the structural and relational drivers of conflict. Insights from YIAVHA’s Building Bridges for Peace project, supported by the Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law (KPSRL), focuses on the non-kinetic, community-driven approaches such as intercommunal dialogue, intergenerational storytelling, youth engagement, and joint economic initiatives. Insights from the project that such community-approaches are effective in reducing violence and fostering trust. To achieve sustainable peace, this policy brief recommends improving local coordination and fundraising to align efforts across government, civil society, the private sector, and communities; strengthening drug enforcement by establishing an operational NDLEA office in Riyom and enacting a regulatory by-law; and enhancing community-led conflict resolution mechanisms. It also calls for increased youth and engagement through peace education and youth-led initiatives. Addressing essential community needs such as access to  decent educational facilities, and agricultural interventions of government will help reduce perceptions of neglect and marginalization. Inclusive feedback systems should be established to amplify marginalized voices in local security and development decisions. Finally, tackling arms buildup through voluntary disarmament and implementing inclusive, equitable, and sustainable resettlement programs while integrating economic empowerment into peace initiatives will foster long-term stability and peace in Riyom LGA.

Context and Scope of the Problem

The global impact of terrorism and conflicts has had far-reaching effects on international relations, economies, and security. Violent organisations such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Boko Haram have gotten global prominence and flourished in areas where governance is lacking, societies are volatile, and economic inequalities are increasing.[1] Within the context of Nigeria, “Attacks by armed bandit groups, as well as intensified violence by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awat wal-Jihad (JAS) and the Islamic State in West Africa, leave civilians in Nigeria at risk of atrocious crimes”.[2] More specifically, the farmer-herder conflict has become one ofNigeria’s gravest security challenges, claiming as many lives as Boko Haram insurgency.[3]

In 2018, Amnesty International reported a death toll of almost  4,000 lives.[4] The conflict has resulted in fatalities, injuries, displacements, destruction of livelihoods as well as properties. The violence and destruction  has also heightened religious and ethnic hostilities  within the region.[5] Though underreported, Plateau state is one of the states most affected by the violence with over  4000 people killed since 1994.[6] In Plateau State, the resultant fatalities are believed to be in the thousands, with entire villages being razed, leading to a severe humanitarian crisis in the state. The ramifications of the violence extend beyond the displacement of numerous families. Farmer herder crises in Nigeria have persisted and it stands a threat to national food security, livestock production and amplification of poverty.[7]  It is clear that the world pays more attention to terrorism, such as the insurgency of Boko Haram, than the Farmer-Herder crisis, particularly in Plateau State, despite its deadly consequences and enormous impact on the stability of the region in the future.

While acknowledging that the violent conflicts in Plateau state span predominantly across local governments of Bassa, Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Mangu, Bokkos, [8] Riyom local government in particular, has witnessed unprecedented killings and displacement. In early 2015, the government of the state constituted a 14-man committee (7 representatives from each LGA) to receive complaints and make recommendations on how to tackle conflicts between farmers and herders in the area. But by mid-2015, both areas had fallen to a series of killings and destruction of property. Hence, the areas have been described as where killings and destruction of property seem to defy peace dialogues, cautions of religious and traditional leaders, and military dexterity.[9]

Although there are reports that communities within the local government are living in a post-conflict era with a cessation of open battles that often led to violent confrontations, these communities may still be living with potential triggers. There are lands that remain inaccessible to both farmers and herders, for safe farming, grazing, and  residence. Additionally, the lack of a known, deliberate structure to provide consistent psychosocial support to victims of the conflict, especially children, poses a potential risk for future insecurity, as intolerance may become prevalent as these children grow into adulthood.

Recognising the need for deliberate action to address the persistence of violent conflicts in rural communities of Nigeria, where farmers and herders are primarily the victims, in September 2023, YIAVHA launched a study project in Riyom LGA of Plateau state, titled “Building Bridges for Peace” (BB4Peace) with funding support from the Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law (Netherlands). The research discovered that:[10]

Displacement causes a loss of livelihood leading to greater vulnerability of drug abuse and criminal activity. 

The research revealed that the displacement of farmers and herders leads to substance abuse as a coping mechanism for the frustration caused by the loss of livelihood, disconnection from their environment, trauma, etc. Substance abuse has often led to increased engagement in criminal activities like drug peddling, cattle rustling, rape of women on farms, kidnapping, theft of farm harvests, ambushing civilians to steal arms and mining proceeds, which force people to relocate to places they regard as safe zones. This creates a cycle where displacement leads to substance abuse, and substance abuse leads to more criminal activities, resulting in further displacement.

Displacement contributes to a breakdown of conflict resolution mechanisms creating distrust in local authorities and increased vigilantism. 

The Community Participatory Action Research also identified the loss of territories and erosion of the influence of community leaders due to displacement by  the  past conflicts, disrupting civilian dialogue and mediation platforms. Communities lose trust in local power holders and existing conflict resolution mechanisms, as they are seen to be ineffective in restoring peace or are inaccessible because they have been displaced from the community. Community members are often unable to connect with their leaders, and leaders sometimes struggle to communicate with each other during emergencies. This situation leads to instances where people feel they have no other option but to take justice into their own hands, resulting in acts of vigilante justice, such as poisoning and killing of livestock, destruction of crops on farms, attacks on communities, and forceful land occupation. As people take the law into their own hands, trust in local authorities diminishes further, escalating tension and threats. The invitation of less influential leaders during peace and mediation meetings by external actors leads to immediate reactions in the form of attacks as a show of significance. Additionally, the breakdown of communication between community leaders increases instances of vigilante justice.

Spread of small arms fuels tension and escalates violence. 

The news of conflict communities stockpiling arms, whether confirmed or not, increases tensions and makes people feel threatened in their communities. Such feelings of vulnerability lead to communal segregation along conflict fault lines, which justifies the perceived need for communities to arm

themselves defensively. This cycle continues, with each news  of arming reinforcing perceptions of threat, tension, and the need for more arms. A weak government presence to restore confidence, exercise authority over crime control, and respond to threats deepens the escalation.

Perceived ethno-religious bias creates a self-perpetuating cycle of distrust.

Perceived bias and ethnic and religious victimisation reinforce unfriendly attitudes and ethnic and religious victimisation within conflict communities, creating a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle. The roles of both internal and external actors, such as government, Non-Governmental Organizations, religious and traditional leaders, nonprofit organisations, and politicians, are often perceived as biased by communities. This leads to a further breakdown of relationships between farmers and herders. For example, herders may choose to sell cow dung instead of giving it to farmers for free, as was the historical practice, while farmers may choose to burn crop residue instead of leaving them for herders to graze their livestock. These actions have generated further tension between conflict communities, and solidarity within segregated communities. Thus, continued suspicion of biased actions reinforces perceptions, leading to more unfriendly attitudes, tension, and threats across communities. An attack in one community can generate tension and serve as a threat to others.

Key Recommendations

1. Establish a Peace Coordination Unit in Riyom Local Government as a statutory coordination platform for all peace initiatives. This office will convene regular reflection meetings to assess progress made by various actors in the Riyom peace and security sector, identify emerging issues requiring policy engagement or broader stakeholder involvement, and attract  local fundraising efforts through government budgets and private sector support. Additionally, all interventions in Riyom should be reviewed by this multi-stakeholder coordination platform through its secretariat, ensuring that community structures remain actively connected and engaged even after the expiration of externally funded projects.

Rationale: Establishing a peace coordination unit in the Riyom local government secretariat will address the challenge of fragmented interventions by creating a coordinated platform for all peace and security efforts. This will reduce duplication, which often leads to inefficiency and conflicting strategies, and instead promote accountability in planning and implementation.

Moreover, the peace coordination unit will serve as a fundraising model, enabling government and local actors to financially support peace initiatives without over-reliance on external donor funding, which is becoming increasingly unpredictable. When local governance systems control funding, they can respond swiftly to emerging conflicts rather than waiting for lengthy donor funding cycles. This proactive approach will help prevent conflict escalation as people can easily access funds to address emerging threats without long wait for donor cycles to apply.

Action Agencies: The  Peace Coordination Unit in Riyom should involve a multi-stakeholder coalition to ensure inclusivity and effectiveness. Key actors include local government authorities, traditional leaders and religious associations, security agencies, and community-based organizations. Civil society organizations (CSOs), women and youth groups from farmers and herders’ communities. Additionally,

state-level peace institutions like the Plateau Peace Building Agency (PPBA), relevant government ministries,  development partners, private sector actors, and local philanthropists can provide both technical and funding support.

2. Strengthen drug enforcement in Riyom by establishing an operational office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and enacting a regulatory by-law to provide a legal framework that focuses on local drug production and circulation. NDLEA should be supported to organize awareness creation events according to the peculiarity of the drug problem in Riyom, bearing in mind that such drug problems impact on the conflict dynamics. This is to address the challenge of not having an operational office in Riyom despite having staff allocated by the NDLEA to the local government, which has limited their operations. This support should be able to galvanise community support to the agency to efficiently respond to instances of the production and supply of illicit drugs in local communities.

Additionally, the enactment of a by-law on drug production and circulation to create a clearer legal framework for prosecuting offenders. This by-law will help close legal loopholes that hinder enforcement efforts by the NDLEA considering their inability to prosecute offenders due to what is regarded as the ambiguity of the existing national legal framework.

Rationale: Curbing drug circulation will significantly reduce drug-related violence, crime, and the funding of violent activities, ultimately improving community safety. Establishing a local context legal framework, operational facility, and enforcement system will create a structured platform to effectively address crimes linked to substance abuse. This approach ensures a coordinated response, strengthens law enforcement efforts, and enhances community resilience against drug-induced insecurity.

Key Action Agencies: Riyom local governments legislative arm and council to provide logistical support and facilitate the enactment of the by-law. NDLEA is to establish an operational office with the support of the Riyom local government council so as to intensify their actions. NGOs, and traditional rulers, are to also play crucial roles in the establishment of the by-law, and support communities to build resilience towards addressing  drug production, circulation, and abuse.

3. Strengthen local conflict resolution mechanisms by enhancing community-led dialogue and mediation platforms. This will enhance community-led dialogue and mediation platforms to effectively address emerging conflicts within communities, particularly those arising from issues like crop destruction and cattle attacks. These platforms should be supported by state systems to ensure the enforcement of commitments made by conflict parties, especially when there are failures in fulfilling agreements. They are to be funded under the Peace Coordination Unit of the local government. Instructively, while NGO-led initiatives have been implemented in the past and continue today, these efforts often face challenges in achieving long-term impact due to inconsistent funding, unavailability of traditional leaders who reside in project communities, and a lack of institutional support amongst other factors. Establishing these platforms will help sustain peacebuilding efforts beyond the lifespan of specific projects. Furthermore, initiatives led by government security forces are sometimes perceived as coercive rather than fostering voluntary cooperation, often resulting in settlements under compulsion instead of genuine reconciliation.

Rationale: Community-owned peace structures foster trust, prevent conflict escalation caused by delays in intervention from state kinetic agencies, and reduce reliance on militarized interventions that are often perceived as more coercive than voluntary. The Building Bridges for Peace project, established four  joint  dialogue platforms across eight conflict flashpoint communities in Riyom who discussed emerging threats and established community guidelines aimed at minimizing misconduct between the farmers and herders who share residential boundaries. These meetings have been more preferred to those hosted  out of their communities because it gives what respondents call, “the regular people” the opportunity to know the contents of the meetings unlike those in the city where they feel that representatives do not step down knowledge.

Key Action Agencies: The Riyom Local Government Council will play a central role in providing logistical support and facilitating the integration of the needs of the community-led dialogue platforms into the local government  budgeting processes under the peace initiative unit of the local government. State Security Agencies will provide support for enforcing the outcomes of mediation, ensuring accountability, and maintaining peace. NGOs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) will continue their roles in establishing the platforms and enhancing the capacity of the local actors.

4. Engaging young people in peacebuilding by integrating peace education, fostering dialogue, and supporting youth-led initiatives. This is the implementation of youth-focused initiatives such as joint farming, intergenerational storytelling, leadership training and other youth centric initiatives that focus on young people across perceived rival communities.

Rationale: Engaging children and youth from perceived rival communities is essential to reducing hostility, building resilience, and fostering constructive interactions within and across communities. Evidence from the Building Bridges for Peace project (2023–2024) and other YIAVHA-led initiatives demonstrates that youth- and child-inclusive approaches promote dialogue, collaboration, and joint economic ventures among young people. Historically, children and youth were often excluded from peace meetings and capacity-building interventions, leaving them ill-equipped to manage tensions that arise during farming or grazing activities. Many were unaware of peace resolutions or the existence of such engagements or have held a revenge agenda due to exposure to violence, resulting in limited exposure to non-violent alternatives. Actively involving them at their level not only increases awareness but also expands peer networks and social ties reducing the likelihood of retaliation or violence when provoked.

Key Action Agencies: Through efficient funding, YIAVHA and other non profit and non governmental organizations will lead the implementation of community engagement activities, including organizing intergenerational dialogue through storytelling, training youth, and facilitating joint farming initiatives between communities that perceive  each other as rivals. The Riyom Local Government Council will provide logistical support, coordinate with community leaders, and support youth initiatives within the local government. Traditional youth and religious leaders will play a vital role in fostering trust and opening communities to interventions. The State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is

expected to promote and support joint farming projects, facilitating access to resources and training for youth to engage in collaborative agricultural activities.

5. Improve  access to decent educational facilities and agricultural interventions in both farmer and herder communities to address perceptions of neglect and reduce tensions among communities. The  equitable distribution of government resources, including farm inputs and educational infrastructures will address perceptions of neglect that have increased tensions among communities. This should include rehabilitating dilapidated schools, deployment of teachers, implementing transparent and inclusive criteria for distributing agricultural implements.

Rationale: Addressing perceptions of neglect will help ease tensions and reduce vulnerabilities to violent conflicts. Findings from the Community Participatory Action Research (CPAR) indicate that some communities feel marginalized due to deteriorating infrastructure, such as the decay of schools, unavailability of teachers, and the perceived inequitable distribution of farm implements by the government over the years. This sense of exclusion, especially when compared to neighboring communities, has fueled grievances that increase community vulnerability to conflict escalation.

Key Action Agencies: Key action agencies include the state and local government authorities, which should facilitate equitable distribution of resources and oversee infrastructure improvements; the State Ministry of Agriculture, responsible for ensuring support to farmers; the State Ministry of Education, tasked with addressing school infrastructure decay and deployment of teachers; and civil society organizations (CSOs) and NGOs, which can provide support through advocacy, capacity building, and project implementation to bridge development gaps and promote social cohesion.

6. Establish inclusive feedback mechanisms to amplify marginalized voices in security and development decision-making. This will ensure that women, youth, and other marginalized groups have allotted time to specifically  engage with decision-makers at meetings on security and development within their communities. These meetings should include dedicated sessions where representatives from these groups present concerns and insights from their constituencies. This approach moves beyond numerical quotas to foster meaningful participation, ensuring that diverse perspectives are integrated into decision-making processes for more inclusive and effective community interventions.

Rationale: Ensuring meaningful participation of women, youth, and marginalized groups in security and development discussions bridges the gap between decision makers and members of those marginalized communities. By institutionalizing this feedback mechanism, communities can proactively voice their needs at community  meetings which is a deviation from the past where inclusion was more around number. . This change will  lead to more inclusive policies, improved response strategies, tolerance for inclusion and sustainable peacebuilding efforts.

Key Action Agencies: The implementation of this recommendation requires collaboration between multiple stakeholders, including local and state governments, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations (CSOs), women and youth groups, security agencies, and development partners. Local government councils, the state government, security, and the traditional and religious leaders should

facilitate structured engagement patterns that factor spaces for the marginalized groups during such engagements.

7. Address arms buildup and promote voluntary disarmament by engaging community leaders, introducing disarmament programs, and enhancing community awareness. This is the implementation of community-driven disarmament programs that encourage voluntary surrender of arms rather than coercive mopping of the arms. The piling up  of weapons by feuding communities only exhibit the symptoms of fear and suspicion, intolerance and lawlessness along ethnic and religious lines. The availability of these arms is reassuring of safety to community people and the mopping up of such arms increases community feelings of vulnerability. So, any mopping action triggers heightened tension and quest for more arms by community actors.

Rationale: Forced disarmament without considering the safety and security needs of at-risk communities could backfire, as people might resist when they continue to feel susceptible to attacks as previously observed. It is therefore crucial to prioritize addressing issues that contribute to arm-stockpiling. When communities feel secure and have confidence in the state to guarantee their safety, they are likely to voluntarily give up their arms.

Key Action Agencies: National and state governments to provide policy direction, incentives, and funding to support voluntary disarmament efforts. Security agencies should intensify efforts by ensuring improved security while fostering trust in communities. Traditional and religious leaders are to be engaged to act as intermediaries to encourage voluntary compliance, while civil society organizations (CSOs) and the media are to facilitate dialogue, advocacy, and sensitization campaigns. Development partners to offer technical and financial support for the disarmament efforts.

8. Implement inclusive resettlement interventions by ensuring equity, sustainability, and community integration. The Plateau State government has established a committee to oversee the relocation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). To ensure a sustainable and inclusive resettlement strategy, it is crucial that both displaced farmers and herders are considered. The strategy should prioritize integrating comprehensive humanitarian and peacebuilding interventions, including psychosocial support, peacebuilding, economic empowerment, and protection. This approach will help prevent future mass atrocities that have historically led to displacement, as highlighted in the 2024 Community Participatory Action Research (CPAR) report.

Rationale: A resettlement strategy that excludes key affected groups risks deepening existing divisions and perpetuating cycles of conflict. The 2024 Community Participatory Action Research (CPAR) report highlights that past displacement crises have been exacerbated by a lack of inclusive resettlement  efforts. By ensuring that both displaced farmers and herders are considered in resettlement plans and by incorporating humanitarian support, economic empowerment, peacebuilding, and psychosocial interventions, the government can promote social cohesion, rebuild trust, and create sustainable conditions for peaceful coexistence.

Key Action Agencies: The Plateau State Government and its Resettlement Committee should lead the initiative, ensuring inclusivity in planning and implementation. Humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization for Migration (IOM), Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and Red Cross can provide technical support, relief aid, and psychosocial assistance. Local peacebuilding organizations, including YIAVHA, can facilitate dialogue and mediation between displaced groups. Security agencies should ensure the safety of returnees, while traditional and religious leaders play a crucial role in sustaining trust and reconciliation. Development partners and donor agencies can offer funding and capacity-building support to sustain the resettlement process.

9. Integrating economic empowerment into peace interventions. Integrate economic incentives into peacebuilding programs to enhance self-sufficiency, reduce vulnerabilities, and foster long-term stability in conflict-affected communities. If people are able to meet the basic needs of themselves, and their families, they may be less likely to engage in violent or criminal behavior to access economic resources. So the cooperative model presents an opportunity which could be in the form of Village Savings and Loan Scheme which allows its members to collectively manage their resources and joint farming initiatives, amongst other initiatives.

Rationale: Sustainable peace requires addressing the economic vulnerabilities that fuel conflict. Many individuals in conflict-affected communities struggle with unemployment and lack of income-generating opportunities, which can lead to frustration, crime, and recruitment into violent groups. By integrating livelihood support, vocational training, and economic incentives into peacebuilding programs, affected populations, especially youth and displaced persons can gain the skills and resources needed for self-sufficiency.

Key Action Agencies: Plateau state government through the Plateau Peace Building Agency. Riyom local governments, NGOs, development agencies, and the private sector.

The farmer-herder conflict in Riyom is a protracted and deeply rooted crisis that demands more than reactive, militarized responses. As the findings from YIAVHA’s Building Bridges for Peace project demonstrate, sustainable peace is possible when communities are empowered to lead reconciliation and coexistence efforts. Government must move beyond security deployments to invest in inclusive, community-driven solutions that address the structural causes of the conflict and the key factors that drive the conflict. Integrating these locally led approaches into formal peacebuilding frameworks is not only imperative for restoring trust and rebuilding livelihoods in Riyom but also crucial for ensuring long-term stability in Plateau State and Nigeria at large. Also, implementing the recommendations requires a

multi-stakeholder approach, leveraging existing governance at all levels, civil society efforts,development partners, the media,  and community leadership structures.

The Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA) works to unite and engage youth from various religious backgrounds in peacebuilding, governance, and human rights efforts to foster reconciliation, peace, and development. Established in 2014 but formally registered in 2016, YIAVHA has worked across the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria with youth on peacebuilding, good governance, and human rights protection. YIAVHA has conducted over 118 training sessions on human rights advocacy, peacebuilding, dialogue, and non-violent conflict resolution, training more than 5,000 young people across the region. Learn more about YIAVHA’s work at www.yiavha.org.

Acknowledgments

This policy brief was developed by Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA), with special thanks to Judith Nendelmwa Remson, Nanret David, Ogbu Elizabeth, John Mandung, and Tahite Barde for their research and drafting contributions. Appreciation also goes to Jared Miller, Ph.D., and Jacob Choji Pwakim for their review and feedback.