MEDCI Teams with Emirs of Fika, Bade, Jajere in Push for Farmer-Herder Peace

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Media Disability Care Initiative (MEDCI), on Sunday launched a sensitization campaign targeting traditional institutions over the persistent farmer-herder conflicts affecting Yobe State.

Led by the organization's Executive Director, Mr. Rajab Mohammad Ismael, a MEDCI delegation visited the palaces of the Emirs of,Fika Alhaji Muhammadu Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa,Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Sulaiman and Jajere,Alhaji Mai Hamza Buba Ibn Isa Mashio respectively.

The MEDCI team engaged directly with the Emirs, key custodians of culture and peace in their respective Emirates, to discuss strategies for mitigating clashes between farmers and herders. This recurring issue causes loss of life, property damage, and economic hardship in Yobe and across Nigeria.

Speaking at the palace of the Emir of Fika,His Royal Highness Alhaji Muhammadu Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa,Rajab Ismael said the media has a critical role not just in informing, but in fostering understanding and peace.

"We came to the palaces of the Emir of Fika, Bade and that of Jajere to sensitize the traditional institution on the dangers of this conflict and to explore collaborative pathways for peace," said Mr. Rajab. "The Emirate's influence is vital in reaching communities and promoting dialogue."

He further explained that the sensitization campaign focused on raising awareness about the devastating impacts of the clashes on communities, the state's economy, and social cohesion. He highlighted the role of community leaders and traditional rulers in mediating disputes before they escalate into violence.

Responding,the Emir of Fika, Alhaji Muhammadu Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa welcomed the MEDCI initiative and commended the organization for its proactive stance. He acknowledged the severity of the farmer-herder conflict and its impact on their domains.

The Emirs pledged the full support of the Fika Emirate Council in promoting peace and sensitizing both farmers and herders within their jurisdiction on the need for dialogue and mutual respect.

"It is my pleasure to hear about your accomplishments and to express appreciation for your excellent work, particularly in your reporting on events and documented activities

"We congratulate you on your success in reporting accurately and without disinformation.We are aware of the constraints you sometimes face in your reporting.Some people,including governments at times, are not always happy.

"However, you have stuck to the truth and reported clearly. We are very pleased with your work",said the Fika Monarch.

Also while at the  Palace of Emir of  Bade,Alhaji Abubakar Umar Sulaiman said,Part of the measures they are taking in the Emirate to curtail farmer-herder conflict include stopping herders from grazing livestock after 6 pm, prohibiting them from sending small children to tend animals, and preventing farmers from cultivating crops on animal migration routes, among other measures across the Emirate. 

"We have also established special patrol teams to monitor farms and assess the situation firsthand.  

"The government has established grazing reserves in our Emirate that contain a hospital, a school, and a borehole.We appreciate this, but we appeal for the construction of additional water points and grazing feed for the animals," said the Bade Emirate," said the Bade Emirate.

The visited Emirs stressed the importance of collaboration between traditional institutions, security agencies, the government, and civil society organizations, including the media, to find lasting solutions.

Yobe State, like many in Nigeria's North-East and Middle Belt regions, has grappled with tensions between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders. These tensions are often exacerbated by competition over dwindling resources like land and water, the effects of climate change, and sometimes criminality.

MEDCI's direct engagement with the Emirs signals a strategic approach to conflict resolution, leveraging the media's reach and the traditional institution's authority to promote messages of peace from the grassroots level upwards.