A Netherlands-based justice institute, the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) and its partners have identified drugs abuse and exclusion of young people from peace talks as part of the reason for recurrence of conflicts in communities.

The institute disclosed this during the presentation of the Land Justice Guidelines for the Prevention and Resolution of Conflicts Between Farmers and Herders in Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau and Benue States designed in conjunction with the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme and the UK International Development on Monday in Abuja.

The Coalition of Advocacy Lead, SPRING Programme, Damian Ihekoronye, stated that the programme examined how the proliferation of small and light arms contributes and substance abuse, among young people contribute to conflict in the states they work because of their high involvement in these issues.

"We are also looking at narratives, negative narratives, negative profiling, religious profiling. What we call disinformation and then how exclusion of young people, exclusion of young people from decision-making, from peace-building processes, how they contribute to conflict," he said.

Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines

Speaking during the programme, the Country Representative, HiiL Nigeria Ijeoma Nwafor, said the programme was created to cover some of the gaps that exist in the citizens' justice needs because the data shows that less than 15 percent of Nigerians actually use the courtroom.

Speaking on the guidelines, Maryam Abba, said it provided communities in the four affected states with the tools for conflict prevention, resolution and after care, incorporating the tradition methods.