The European Union has launched a €4.5 million project in Sokoto State to help communities hit by banditry, climate shocks, and displacement.
Named RECAP short for Resilience, Engagement and Conflict Prevention for At-Risk Populations’ Protection the initiative was presented on Wednesday at a stakeholder gathering in the state capital.
The 18-month programme, funded by the EU and run by Action Against Hunger Nigeria together with International Alert and Save The Child Initiative, will cover ten local government areas. Officials say more than 537,000 people are expected to benefit.
Speaking at the launch, EU representative Xenia Stoll said the project reflects Europe’s commitment to stability in northwest Nigeria. She stressed that the bloc supports Sokoto’s government in its push for peace and prosperity.
According to her, RECAP will target deep-rooted triggers of violence such as exclusion, fights over land and water, and economic neglect.
Sokoto’s Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Umar, who stood in for the Deputy Governor, called the intervention timely. He admitted that the state is struggling with rising insecurity, pressure from a changing climate, and conflicts over resources.
He praised the EU and its partners for focusing not just on immediate relief but also on long-term solutions like dialogue, jobs, better water management, and mental health support.
Umar assured that the state government would provide all necessary backing to ensure the project succeeds and that local communities take ownership of it.
Another partner, Thierno Samba Diallo, argued that peace cannot be imported. He said the problems in Sokoto violence, poverty, displacement, and environmental stress are tangled together and demand homegrown answers.
He added that RECAP aims to rebuild trust and place women and youth at the centre of peace efforts.
The initiative is part of a wider EU partnership with Sokoto State that includes humanitarian aid, support for civil groups, and cooperation with religious and traditional leaders.
