Project Materials

EFFECT OF REPRISAL ON HERDSMEN

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Conflicts between farmers and herders have existed since pre-colonial times; however, the conflicts were effectively managed and controlled, thus their influence on Nigeria’s internal security and agriculture in general was not as severe as it is today (Benjaminsen & Ba, 2009).

Herders have a long history of migration to the West, where they coexist and work with sedentary farmers using shared resources (Cabot, 2017).

The historical record of pre-colonial farmer-herder disputes is scarce; however, it has been maintained that competition and symbiotic relationships existed between the two groups between the 12th and 13th centuries (A. G. Adebayo, 1991).

The social system was also intended to accommodate “Ruga.” The goal of establishing “Ruga” was to regulate grazing activities and handle any conflicts between and among farmers and Fulani groups (Ellwood, 1995).

The colonial farmers and herders clash signalled the start of changes in the physical and social landscapes. This diminished farmer-herder compatibility, as well as the previously existing informal land tenure and resource utilisation.

The colonialists introduced dispute resolution procedures that were foreign to the people and benefited the colonial rulers’ interests (Davidheiser and Luna, 2008). This decreased indigenous land ownership, resulting in resource shortages and increasing environmental degradation (Adeoye, 2017).

Nigeria has had and continues to suffer a series of farmer-herder conflicts since the establishment of the Democratic government in 1999.

The majority of this conflict is taking place in Northern Nigeria, which is predominantly agrarian (farmers and herders), as well as in some areas of the country’s south (Hassan et al., 2018).

In many of these conflicts, lives and property have been lost, farm products have been destroyed, people have been displaced, and governments at all levels (local, state, and federal) have spent a lot of money to set up resolution committees or resettlement camps for displaced persons.

Finances that should be used for other sectors’ development are being used to settle farmer-herder conflicts. The consequences of these conflicts are severe for the national economy, both in terms of the resources invested in resolutions and the expression of the unemployment it exacerbated (Odoh & Chigozie, 2012).

International and local media reports indicate the loss of so many lives as a result of the farmers-herders confrontation (Erondu & Nwakanma, 2018). The confrontations have resulted in population displacement, reduced agricultural output, and an increase in unemployment (Odoh & Chilaka, 2012).

Agricultural industries, which mostly employ productive teenagers and adults, have grown stretched and turbulent. Farmers-herder conflicts have been linked to the widespread migration of individuals from rural areas (local government), which forces urban areas to compete for available opportunities (Odoh & Chilaka, 2012).

The agricultural sector’s significance to Nigeria’s economic growth and development cannot be overstated (Olaoye 2014). As a result, insufficient supply of agricultural products will cause concern, discontent, a lack of food security, and negative impacts on the national economy and security.

Conversely, the availability of agricultural products will result in lively health, stable mental and physical growth for residents, and increased national output (Kugelman, 2012).

It is well known that agricultural practices (farming and livestock husbandry) continue to be the most common activity among the inhabitants of Zamfara State, including the Tsafe and Zurmi local government areas. As a result, any challenge to farming would almost surely have a negative impact on people’s livelihood.

Cattle rustling and banditry activities pose a major threat to the safety and lives of the whole Zamfara State population. These have resulted in the loss of numerous lives and ruin of property. animals rustling has been defined as the act of stealing animals for financial gain (Abdullahi and Madappalli, 2017).

It has been described as an act that arose from leaders’ failure to address the threat of social and economic upheaval (Mohammed & Ibrahim, 2015). It has also been conceived as a criminal crime of removing cows for economic motives (Okoli & Okpaleke, 2014).

Banditry, on the contrary, has been described as the act of robbery or violent crime especially in an area where the rule of law has broken down. It mostly involved coercion and threats to loot, rape, and kill (Okoli & Okpaleke, 2014).