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| Changing Perspectives of Killer Herdsmen Mayhem: Redefinition of the Nation State in the New Development Paradigm |
Tochukwu Aloy Aduma Ph.D, Prof Emma Chukwuemeka Ph.D, Max Eneh
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Abstract:
Pastoralists who are mostly from northern part of Nigeria and mainly of Fulani ethnic extraction move the length and breadth of the country in search of pasture and water for their herds. This open grazing is attributed to harsh and weather changes in the northern region of the country. In a bid to ensure the survival of their herds, they vagrant to different states of the country especially the central and southern states. They settle within communities and fend for their herds. However, their activities in these host communities have led to conflicts between them and their host communities. This paper investigated the primary cause of these incessant conflicts that have caused numerous deaths, dislocation of homes and ethnic tensions. The paper also examined the correlation between the conflicts and economic development of the country. Two hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The paper is purely qualitative in nature and as such content analysis was adopted as tool of analysis. The result therefore revealed that destruction of arable lands and farms by the pastoralists or killer herdsmen as they are popularly referred to in Nigeria is the main cause of the conflict and that the conflict is affecting the economic fortunes of the Country through dwindling production of food and protein. The paper recommended as a way of curbing the conflicts, the establishment of ranches for a fee by states and the introduction of profiling and tracking of the vagrant herdsmen by the Federal Government.
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