Conflict Management and Peacebuilding in Taraba State: Professional Perspectives

This study examines conflict management and peacebuilding practices in Taraba State from the perspectives of professional practitioners including security officials, traditional leaders, civil society workers, and state government officials engaged in the management of inter-ethnic and inter-communal conflicts. Taraba State is one of the most ethnically diverse states in Nigeria, hosting over 80 distinct ethnic groups, and has experienced persistent inter-communal conflicts that have claimed lives, displaced communities, and disrupted agricultural livelihoods across the North East geopolitical zone. Using a qualitative research design, the study conducts professional focus group discussions and individual interviews with 34 conflict management practitioners in Jalingo, Wukari, and Bali, drawing on their direct experiences with conflict dynamics and intervention strategies. The conflict transformation theory and peacebuilding practice literature are applied to systematise the professional knowledge generated by practitioners in the field. Findings reveal that the most effective conflict management interventions in Taraba State combine formal security deployment with traditional authority-mediated dialogue, addressing both immediate violence containment and the underlying resource and identity grievances that fuel recurring conflict cycles. Funding shortfalls, inter-agency coordination failures, and political instrumentalisation of conflicts by local politicians are identified as principal obstacles to sustainable peace. Recommendations include structured inter-agency peacebuilding frameworks, dedicated state funding for conflict prevention activities, and professional training standards for government conflict management personnel. Keywords: conflict management, peacebuilding, Taraba State, inter-ethnic conflict, professional practice