By Innocent Anaba

Centre for Democratic, Development and Training, CEDDERT, has said that bandits from border countries were responsible for the farmers-pastoralists conflicts and attacks in Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna states.

Director of CEDDERT, Dr Abubakar Mohammed, who spoke at the Centre’s seminar series with the theme Pastoralists and Farmers’ Conflict in Nigeria, with the support of ENABLE2, a DFID funded project in Kaduna, yesterday, said: “Our findings followed our research in Dansadau, Sabuwa and Birnin Gwari in Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna States.”

He added “Three conflict areas where herders-farmers conflicts thrive; namely Dansadau in Maru LGA of Zamfara State, Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State and Birnin Gwari communities in Kaduna State, were investigated using various qualitative research methods such as Focus Group Discussions and In-depth interviews.”

“The conflict has five varying dimensions and levels of causes ranging from the phenomenon of cattle rustling by armed bandits who are usually non-residents; to incursions between farmers and herders into each others’ territories and resources.

“Emerging ethnicization of the conflict exacerbated by the activities of the vigilante groups by regarding all Fulani as bandits and treating them as such combined with the deliberate strategy pursued by the bandits to make their action appear as if it is the defense of Fulani interest.

“Again, the nationalization of the conflict in which Fulani’s fleeing from cattle rustlers in the North in turn becomes victims of same Fulani bandits and the host communities in the South who cannot distinguish between the bandit and the victimized.