By ANGELA ATABO

Conflicting communities in Benue State, Nigeria, have signed a peace accord to resolve their long-standing conflicts.

The communities, including Ologba and Egba in Agatu Local Government Area (LGA) and Tivs and Jukuns in Fiidi, Makurdi LGA, on Sunday in Makurdi embraced peace and reached a truce to prevent returning to conflict.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conflict, which lasted over a decade, was over ownership of natural resources like fish ponds and farm lands.

The peace agreement was facilitated by International Alert, in partnership with the Benue State Peace Commission and local community-based organisations, as part of the ‘Powering Peace through Climate Action Project’.

Dr Paul Nyulaku-Bemshima, Country Director of International Alert, said the organisation had been working with marginalised and divided communities to increase access to knowledge and trust through dialogue and cooperation.

Nyulaku-Bemshima stated that the move was necessary to end the lingering crisis in Benue communities over natural resources, exacerbated by climate change effects and ethnicity.

“We are excited about the peace agreement signing ceremony between Tivs and Jukuns in Fiidi and Ogba, Ologba, and Ekaida in Agatu.

“These communities have undergone a long process of dialogue and negotiations on conflict issues.

“The conflicts are fundamentally over land, water, and fish ponds.

“We ensured participatory processes, and they have developed local peace and adaptation plans to address climate change impacts, build social cohesion, and increase income.”

Mr Sunday Jimoh, Project Manager at International Alert, said the empowerment projects included training and establishment of briquette making factories, provision of industrial-level fish kiln machines, and installation of solar-powered industrial boreholes.

Mr Joseph Har, Special Adviser on Security to the Governor of Benue, commended International Alert and urged the communities to maintain the agreement.

“I am going to ensure that these items are handed over to the chairman who is the chief security officer of the local government to take care of these things to ensure that they are not tempered with.

“We are happy that this has happened during our time, we are having peace at this magnitude during our time and we can’t trade it for anything.

Ms Josephine Habba, Director General of Benue State Commission for Peace and Reconciliation, said the peace agreement marked a significant milestone towards lasting peace.

“In prioritising livelihood for peace we should recognise that it is an endorsement for development and a promotion of peaceful coexistence amount communities.

“The project encourages entrepreneurship with a focus on peaceful values and conflict resolution. This is a successful climate action in promoting peace,” she said.

Community members, including Ada Agatu Godwin Onah, Chief Zaki Gwaza, and Mr Toundo Japhet, applauded International Alert for resolving their crisis and empowering them with entrepreneurship skills and equipment.

They acknowledged that prior to the projects, they could not relate well or cross each other’s communities, but now peace had been restored. (NAN)

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