EFFECTS OF FARMER-HERDER CONFLICTS ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN KOGI STATE
Keywords:
Farmers, Herders, Cattle, Ranches, Crops, Climate Change,Abstract
Since the independence of Nigeria in 1960, farmer-herder conflicts
have bedeviled the country and Kogi state is one of the states that is
experiencing the conflicts due to its farming activities. The
conflicts had led to the killings of several people, displaced people
from their homes and destruction of property worth billions of
naira, disrupted peace, stability and retarded economic activities
of the state. Despite government intervention and the inclusion of
traditional rulers, incessant attacks by the herdsmen still persisted
unabatedly in the state with humanitarian catastrophes,
particularly in the Eastern and Western parts of the state. It is
within this context that this paper assessed the socio-economic
effects of the conflicts with a view to suggest a sustainable solution
to the crisis. The Frustration and Aggression Theory was used as a
Theoretical framework for analysis. The study utilised qualitative
method of data collection and observed that the herdsmen
aggressive and violent attacks on rural communities are driven by
the quests for economic resources such as pasture, water, land
titles and territorial space, thus, some of the crop farmers became
frustrated by the killings of their relations, displacement from their
homes and means of livelihood (farms), hence, they sometimes
seize and kill the wandering cattle. The study concludes that
having the herders concentrated in a particular place (Zango)
through a legislation would reduce the conflicts usually
experienced between farmers and the Fulani herders in the state.
There is a need to re-introduce the cattle tax (Jangali) so that
government would know the number of cattle in the state for the tax
and at the same time takes care of their needs after having their
proper records across the state, a committee comprising the
members of the association of farmers, cattle breeders and
government representative be set up to strengthen the relationship
in the state among other recommendations.
