APRIL 2017

EARLY WARNING NO.ISSUE 1 BULLETIN

Plateau & Kaduna States, April 2017 Introduction

Plateau and Kaduna states are complexity of the for peace and human security in situated in the Middle Belt region conflict. Military and non-military , Wase, , , of Nigeria, a region with very interventions including the , Lantang North, Bassa, fertile land for agricultural activities of non-governmental , Qua’an Pan, activities and multiple ethic organizations and military local government areas (LGAs) of nationalities with different operations including a current and Kaura LGA of religious beliefs. Plateau state one code-named Operation Kaduna state in course of the borders southern part of Kaduna Harbin Kunama II inaugurated on th month. It attempts to analyze the state and frequently record April 20 contributed to drivers and impact of the violent agro-pastoral conflict managing and transforming identified risks as well as suggest pitching its farming and herder violent conflict in the states. This possible mitigation strategies. communities against each other. Early Warning Bulletin aims to The conflict allegedly has analyze issues identified from political, religious and criminal monitoring trends of incidents dimensions that increased the and situations with implications

Plateau April Alerts Kaduna April Alerts

Map of Plateau & Kaduna States showing incident locations Graph: Frequency vs. Type of incident

Notwithstanding the security checks, at least five armed robbe- ry incidents were recorded in between the check points in the month.

Armed Robbery Assault Protest Communal Rape Arrest Murder Abduction robbery conflict

Risk I: Criminal activities

According to the data captured in markets and is thus lucrative to were reported as an emergent the early warning hub, armed robbers who benefit from threat to security in April. robbery and murder were the limited presence of security Members of the group allegedly first and second biggest threats operatives to rob and kill engaged in street fights, fights at to peace and security in the commuters. On April 7, at least sport viewing centers and stadium month. At least nine armed and eight armed men allegedly which resulted in killing of about unarmed robberies and four invaded Mokontong village in five people in the month. murders were recorded in the Barkin Ladi LGA and robbed Members of the group were LGAs in the month, while an several houses; one person was alleged of illicit drugs consumption incident of rape was recorded in reportedly shot by the armed which reportedly triggered Kaura LGA. Armed robbery men. fights. Availability of small arms reportedly increased in Qua’an in the hands of unauthorized Pan LGA after two months of lull Two murders were recorded in Bokkos LGA in the month; on April holders directly contributed to due to mounting of security increase in incidents of armed checkpoints on two hotspots of 12, a headless body of a man was found at Agwan Akwati, while the robbery, murder and youth robbery by vigilante groups; restiveness. The need to Kwalla-Kurgwi and Namu- body of a barber was found at his salon in Angwan Kasa on April 16. prioritize disarmament and Kwande highways. reintegration of militarized young Notwithstanding the security The incidents were reported to security operatives. Beyond people is critical to addressing the checks, at least five armed menace of armed and unarmed robbery incidents were armedrobbery, motorcycle and car battery theft were other robbery in Plateau state. Control recorded in between the check of sale and use of illicit drugs is points in the month. On April 6, criminal activities on the rise at community level in the state; critical as well as improvement of a driver was shot dead and a security posts in villages along woman and her son were injured Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, Shendam, Wase, and Qua’an highways susceptible to armed in an incident at GSS Kwande axis robbery. while a vigilante was shot dead Pan LGAs were the major flash by robbers at the security points point of this. At least three by Kwalla village on Kwalla- incidents of motorcycle theft were Kurgwi road on April 18. Also on recorded in Wase LGA in the April 18, a bullet ridden body of month while four people were Availability of small arms in young man was discovered along arrested for car batteries theft in the hands of unauthorized Kurgwi-Kwande road by Kurgwi Shendam LGA and five cases of village. He was suspected to have battery theft were recorded in Jos holders directly contributed been killed by armed robbers. North. Activities of Yan Daba, a The highways connect towns restive youth group spread across to increase in incidents of and villages, banks and communities in Jos North LGA armed robbery, murder and 2 youth restiveness. It is also critical for government to consider potential negative impact of jeopardizing the livelihood of farmers and other people whose livelihood is attached to the value chain created by the farmers’ activities.

Robbery Murder Communal conflict

Risk II: Dispute over land ownership and usage

Communal conflict triggered by attack on cattle associated with Plateau state government’s dispute over ownership and farming season in the middle proposition to reclaim about repossession of land was the third belt region. 2,500 hectares of land used for biggest threat to peace and security Jol village in Riyom LGA recorded Bokkos Farm project in 1973 in Plateau state In April. Tension three incidents of destruction of resulted in protests by the five between Goemai of Tumbi and cultivated farmlands by cattle communities that would be Jarawas in Yelwa village, Shendam grazed during the night in the affected by the proposition. The LGA over ownership of a disputed month. The incidents brought land was allegedly given to the piece of land escalated in the month tension between farmers and communities for farming at the due to unauthorized access to the herders in the village as the demise of the Farm project in land by Jarawa youth, an ethnic identity of the owners of the 1973. While development in group considered to be settlers errant cattle could not be the agriculture sector is from Bauchi state. The youth ascertained due to cover of the important for the state, it is reportedly cleared a portion of the night. The history of violent agro- also critical for government land with the intention to cultivate it pastoralist conflicts in Riyom to consider potential negative in the current farming season. LGA showed propensity for impact of jeopardizing the Prompt deployment of security outbreak of violence if further livelihood of farmers and operatives and intervention of the destruction of farmlands are not other people whose livelihood paramount ruler of the town prevented and destroyed crops is attached to the value chain prevented outbreak of violence but compensated. While night created by the farmers’ could not address the dispute. grazing could be convenient activities. The state Onset of raining reason is critical for herders, as they could government would benefit from for farmers and their preparation graze cattle without dialoguing with the five for farming season; the period is distraction, it increased communities and jointly find also characterized by escalation farmers’ vulnerability and opportunities to accommodate of tension, clashes and inability to protect cultivated the farmers in the project contestation of ownership of land farms from encroachment and including creating employment by groups. Also inherent in this destruction. The community opportunities for them and period is the opportunity to peace architecture dialogue other groups whose livelihood strengthen community structures platform in the LGA identified depend from the value chain. for conflict prevention and the risk of violent conflict and resolution to enable it mitigate and planned to facilitate dialogue address dispute around ownership between farmers and herders to of land, encroachment of cultivated address the issue non-violently. farmland, destruction of crops or

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ISSUE NO. 1

Risk III: Unresolved issue from past violent APRIL 2017 conflicts

On April 20, displaced persons herder and the Zilan people with government; delayed or biased from Zilan village in Kaura LGA a view of reconciling the parties response will reinforce tendency made an attempt to return to and resettling Zilan people back to self-help that are often violent. their houses and farmlands to their villages. currently occupied by armed men suspected to be the herders who Women from Lukfai community attacked this and two other in Barkin Ladi LGA on the other villages on February 20, 2017. hand marched to the LGA Gunshots were reportedly fired by secretariat to protest the the invaders and warned off the destruction of building blocks Zilan people from entering their produced to rebuild houses village or their farmlands. destroyed in past violent conflicts According to media reports over in the village. The blocks were one hundred houses were razed reportedly destroyed by cattle down in Zilan in the February grazed in the area. As there was a attack with an estimated 10,000 concern that the incident could re people rendered homeless and -ignite violence between farmers displaced to other villages in and herders in the village, it was Takad chiefdom. Continued also a positive indicator of the displacement of Zilan people willingness of the people to and occupation of the villages address issues non-violently. The and farmlands is a threat to response of the LGA officials is lives and livelihood of the critical to future response to people and deserves an urgent similar incident. While a prompt attention by the state intervention to reconcile the government. There is the need to parties and ensure appropriate address the grievances of the compensation is paid will build trust between the people and the

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Where does our information come from?

@SFCGNigeria Early Warning Bulletin provides an analysis of risk factors emerging from monitoring trends of incidents and situation in Plateau and Kaduna States where Search for Common Ground an early warning and early response system of Search for Common Ground is Nigeria operational. The early warning system relies on data from open sources generated by community observers, Search staff and partners using customized www.sfcg.org/nigeria

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