The United States of America (USA) has said that the sum of $13 billion is lost annually in the conflicts between farmers and herders in the North Central (Middle Belt) zone.
It also said that about 7,000 people have been killed in the last five years in the recurring conflicts in the region.
The middle belt comprises Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger States and some parts of Kaduna State and has witnessed violent clashes and night attacks over the years.
In a statement issued yesterday by the Information Department of the US Embassy in Abuja, Washington said that the conflict has resulted in an estimated 7,000 deaths over the past five years and $13 billion in economic losses annually.
“Over the last four years, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Engaging Communities for Peace in Nigeria (ECPN) activity has worked to promote peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in Nigeria’s Middle Belt states.
“Implemented by Mercy Corps, ECPN has…
