The Pastoral Conflict Takes a Deadlier Turn
Publisher: SB Morgen Intelligence
Date: 2018
Topics: Conflict Causes, Land, Renewable Resources
Countries: Nigeria
The escalation in the pastoral conflict between nomadic cattle rearers, who are mainly of the Fulani ethnic group, and farmers from various ethnic groups indigenous to Nigeria’s Middle-Belt has led to the large scale destruction of lives and property in various parts of the country. Attacks by herdsmen, reprisals against Fulani communities, and counter-reprisals against indigenous communities, have become an unfortunately regular phenomenon over the last two years, with the Nigerian Government generally seen as taking an ineffective stance in dealing with the resultant security breakdown.
The proliferation, and spread of these incidents, coupled with a lackadaisical attitude, and in many cases, inaction of the government security agencies has led to the perpetrators of these crimes going unpunished, and many communities believing that they are left with little choice than to resort to self-help. In the wake of the rising spate of attacks, a number of, states including Ekiti, Benue and Taraba, have passed anti-grazing laws as a measure to curb these pastoral clashes, but their suggested punitive measures have been largely ineffective, except in Ekiti, where the measures have at least seen attacks go to nearly zero.