Hague Institute Unveils Guidelines to Tackle Herder-Farmer Conflicts in Katsina

Francis Sardauna in Katsina 

A Netherlands-based organization, Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL), has unveiled new guidelines for the prevention and resolution of land disputes between farmers and herders in order to sustain peace and strengthen security in Katsina State.

Developed through a multi-state initiative, the guidelines were unveiled Friday under the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRING) programme, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Committed to preventing and resolving land disputes between farmers and herders through mediation and community-based resolution, the institute is targeting the training of 2,400 people from the benefiting states of Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau and Benue.

Unveiling the guidelines, the Katsina State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Fadila Muhammad Dikko, called on community and religious leaders, security agencies, farmers and herders to support and implement them for peace and development to thrive in the state.

Represented by the Director, Citizens Right, A. L Buhari, the commissioner urged the stakeholders to work assiduously to ensure the full implementation of the guidelines to promote understanding, fairness and peaceful co-existence in communities across the state.

She said the guidelines will complement the peace initiatives of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda which include his assent of Katsina State Alternative Dispute Resolution Law 2025, establishment of Katsina Mediation Centre and the adoption of Standard Operating Procedure at the Centre to improve access to justice.

According to her, “We sincerely appreciate HiiL International for organizing this impactful programme and for their continued commitment to promoting people-centred justice. Land is a critical resource for both farmers and herders, but it has also been the major source of conflict.

“These guidelines have been developed to provide practical solutions for preventing disputes and resolving them peacefully through dialogue and mediation.”

Earlier, the HiiL Justice Transformation Country Representative, Ijeoma Nwafor, said the guidelines were part of broader efforts to improve access to justice in line with Goal 16.3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which promotes equal access to justice for all.

She reiterated that the guidelines were developed through extensive field research and consultations with traditional and community leaders, security agencies, legal practitioners, farmers and herders and other key stakeholders across Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau and Benue States.

She noted that beyond land disputes, the consultations revealed interconnected issues such as insecurity, ethnic tensions, and religious differences, all of which contribute to communal conflicts, adding that the guidelines serve as a practical tool for addressing the challenges.

She stated that the newly launched guidelines were driven by alarming global and national statistics, which show that approximately 5.1 billion people worldwide lack access to justice, with about 140 million affected in Nigeria alone.

Highlighting the importance of inclusivity, Nwafor stressed that every member of society plays a critical role in achieving justice, regardless of their social or economic status.

“The guidelines, therefore, serve as a unifying framework that brings together different voices and promotes mutual understanding among stakeholders,” she added.

Nwafor, however, expressed optimism that the new guidelines will enhance dialogue, improve conflict resolution mechanisms, and ultimately expand access to justice for underserved communities across the state.