Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr Nasir Idris, has donated N150 million to victims of the recent Fulani–Farmers clashes in Arewa Local Government Area, with a firm assurance that perpetrators of the violence will be brought to justice.
Governor Idris announced the donation on Saturday during a sympathy visit to displaced persons currently taking refuge at the Arewa Local Government Secretariat in Kangiwa. He was accompanied by heads of security agencies, top government officials, and political leaders.
While consoling the families of those who lost their lives in the unfortunate incident, the Governor appealed for calm and urged all sides to embrace peaceful coexistence. He stressed that there was no justification for conflict between the Fulani and Arewa communities, who have lived together harmoniously for more than a century.
The Governor emphasised that nothing compares to peace, urging all displaced persons to return home and rebuild their lives there by donating 150 million naira to support all victims, including Fulani, Arawa, Zabarmawa, and others, to help them return home, promising to seek more funding from the Federal Government.
Governor Idris commended the Nigerian Army, Police, Civil Defence, DSS, Vigilantes, and other security operatives for their swift action in containing the violence and restoring normalcy.
Accompanying the Governor, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, also donated 20 million naira and pledged to work with the state government to secure more federal assistance for the victims.
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He urged residents to maintain peace, warning that crises could reverse the state’s development progress.
Similarly, former Governor Sa’idu Usman Dakingari, who addressed the victims in Fulfulde, called for permanent peace among the Fulani and Arawa communities, noting their long-standing relationship.
Chairman of Arewa Local Government, Sani Aliyu, briefed the Governor on the extent of the damage, revealing that lives were lost in Bui and properties, including livestock, were destroyed in surrounding villages. He commended security agencies for their prompt response in ending the clashes.
Traditional rulers, including the Mai Arewan Bui, Abubakar Danmallam; Sarkin Bui, Ardon Kangiwa Umaru Maisamari; and Sarkin Zabarmawan Kangiwa, Alhaji Mukhtari, attributed the crisis to the intrusion of foreign herders from the Niger Republic and the criminal activities of the Lakurawa bandits.
The Governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to peace, unity, and justice, assuring residents that all necessary measures were being taken to prevent future occurrences.
