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Effect Of Fulani-herdsmen And Farmers Crisis On Food Security
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Recently, several deaths and casualties have been recorded in series of
clash between Fulnai herdsmen and farmers. Most people attribute the
clash between Fulani Herdsmen and Farmers to religious differences
between the Muslims or Islam’s and the Christians(Basil, 2015). Several
farmlands have been destroyed due to conflict erupting between farmers
and herdsmen. Herdsmen attribute the roots of the crisis to religious
differences resulting in the killing of their cows while the farmers see
the herdsmen as a threat to their crops and agricultural produce since
the herdsmen allow their cows to feed on the farmer crops. Evidences
have shown that herdsmen and farmers clash in several parts of Nigeria
especially in the Nassarawa, Delta, Edo, and Benue states could be due
to differences in religious background between the herdsmen and farmers.
Several lives and farmlands been destroyed in this crisis (Ekpeyemi,
2016). Recently, in Abraka Fulani herdsmen attacked farmers at the farm
and claimed one life which prompted the indigenes of Abraka to riot. It
was due to this saga that the Ovie of Abraka Kingdom (HRM Akpomedaye
Majoroh II) declared state of emergency on the 23rd of April, 2017 on
the Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash in a bid to restore peace to the
community. It is against this background that this study is conducted to
investigate the effects of Fulani herdsmen-farmers crisis on food
security in Abraka region.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Nigeria
is seriously threatened by Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis and
therefore, considered to be a major potential threat affecting Nigerians
mostly on the part of socio-economic activities of the country (Egodi,
2010). The Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis is posing a serious
obstacle to a successful national economy. Fulani herdsmen and farmers
has become a major threat to the national security and development of
Nigeria due to the fact that its increased operation has caused
diversion and removed government attention on some key areas of the
economy, as huge amount of human and material resources are channeled
into curbing the menace (Egodi, 2010).
Conflict is a great
predicament in any human society, and most times, it is predictable. In
fact, history indicates that conflict is an on-going process in human
relations and may occur within and among groups and communities. In the
case of Nigeria, the frequent occurrence of Fulani herdsmen and farmers
crisis has left adverse effects on food security and socio-economic
development of the people (Damba, 2007). In the course of these
conflicts, farmers have at certain times, taken up weapons to counter
the attacks from the Fulani herdsmen, claiming to do so in self-defense.
The study conducted by Kassam (2016) gave an overview of the general
concept and causes of conflicts in Nigeria and, advocates for ethical
principles such as the common solidarity of humanity by origin,
forgiveness and tolerance that could engender cordiality and
understanding rather than sustained hostility and suspicion in Fulani
herdsmen and farmers relation in Nigeria.
Fulani herdsmen and farmers
crisis no doubt have negative impact on the lives, property, food
security and educational development in Nigeria. Though, there is the
dearth of quantitative evaluation of the catastrophic attacks, available
statistics has it that between June 2015 to December, 2016 Human Rights
Watch in 2017, reported a total death toll of 65 persons in more than
24 attacks. It was also reported that an estimate of 50 people were
killed in Nasarawa Egor (Nasarawa State) and Agatu/Logo (Benue State) in
the June 2016 and recently lives were claimed in Abraka in the April
23rd 2017 crisis between Fulani herdsmen and farmers. Fulani herdsmen
attack apart from the loss of lives has also led to the destruction of
arable farmland and valuable properties worth several billions of naira.
The
above scenario has dire consequences for sustainable and educational
development in the regions of attack in particular and Nigeria in
general. In the regions where the Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis is
pervasive and the property destroyed potentially and in real terms, drag
their economic fortune back by several steps. Besides the property
destroyed, economic life in those regions is automatically grounded to a
halt. People are no longer free to go about their farming, economic and
educational activities for fear of being killed. This is made worse as
several thousands of people have migrated swiftly to other parts of
Nigeria. The overall implication for sustainable development is that the
farming, economic and educational activities are fast deteriorating.
The murderous campaigns and vicious onslaughts on individuals and
institutions provide highly unfavorable business environment for
internal and foreign investment, which is a major factor in the
achievement of sustainable development (Damba, 2007).
Another major
problem posed by Fulani and herdsmen and farmers clash is that farming
activities in some parts of Nigeria has been put to a halt. Farmers
within this region find it hard to go to their farms as well as to get
enough food crops to the market thereby, increasing price of commodity
in the market. The government has spent huge amount of money on the
renovation of buildings, and infrastructures that has been destroyed by
these religious conflicts. Also, huge amount of funds from the country’s
budget has been spent on the compensation of families who have lost
their loved ones to the Fulani-herdsmen and farmers crisis. Also, huge
amount of money is being spent on the acquisition weapons, ammunition in
other to equip the military to handle the situation on ground. All
these have affected Nigeria’s economy.
Again, in Abraka the recent
Fulani-herdsmen and farmers clash which took place on 23rd April, 2017
at Abraka reserve have caused serious damage to farmlands, claimed life
and disrupt the socio-economic activities of the people of people
leading to increase in the price of food items and commodities. Problems
emanated from fear of Fulani herdsmen since people can no longer go to
farms and walk at night. This has disrupted the peaceful coexistence of
the Hausa people and indigenes of Abraka community. All these have form
the basis for the problem stated in this study, and this research work
focuses on the effects of Fulani herdsmen-farmers crisis on food
security in Abraka region.
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