Pastoral Conflicts in Nigeria: Causes and Possible Solutions

There have, for several years, been increasing incidents of violent pastoral conflicts in different parts of Nigeria, from the North-West, stretching across to the North-East, through the South-West and into the South-East of the country. These seemingly sporadic conflicts, which centre on water and grazing rights, have usually been between pastoral Fulani herdsmen and agrarian farmers. The conflicts have often left scores of innocent victims injured or dead and properties burnt or totally destroyed in the different affected communities.

In the search for suitable pastures and clean, fresh water for their cattle, herdsmen, usually of the Fulani stock (from Northern parts of Nigeria) frequently move their herds of cattle, mostly on foot, from their base through different states across the country (including Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, among many others and some parts of the South-West and the South-East), often stopping at some designated points along the way to drop off some of their stock at some of the various cattle markets, to fulfil the beef supply needs of consumers across the country.

Due to the possible effects of climate change, which has resulted in acute water scarcity and seemingly unending draught, tse-tse fly infestation, dry pastures/grass and leaching, cattle-owners and herdsmen have increasingly been finding it difficult to locate suitable grass or pasture and clean, fresh water for their cattle in their original localities. The nomadic pastoral herdsmen while moving their livestock en masse, from location to location, in search of grazing pasture, often move into local communities or farms along the way, with their cattle trampling on and eating crops and grass, destroying the livelihood of farm owners in the process. As a result of resistance from most local communities and farm owners, hectares of arable farmland are often invaded by herdsmen at night or on market days (when most of the farmers must have gone to sell their crops or are generally away from their farms). Such ambushed fighting and armed attacks which characterise most pastoral conflicts, have become the norm, with the usually heavily armed herdsmen invariably having the upper-hand as they often kill, set huts, houses, properties ablaze, sometimes going as far as to abduct innocent victims from the affected, attacked communities. These recurring incidents have grown increasingly violent over the years and have now added significantly to the conflict quotient of Nigeria. The initial seeming indecisiveness on the part of the government on a precise course of action has heightened the scale and spread of violence often recorded in these armed conflicts. There seems to be a marked escalation in the sense that in many cases entire communities have been torched or sacked by marauding herdsmen, leading to disruption of community life, damage to source of livelihood, or in some instances, displacement of the locals, who rendered homeless, or too afraid to return to the ravaged communities, subsequently end up in some of the Internally Displaced Persons’ Camps set up by the government in conjunction with some NGOs.

Over the years, as a way of preventing these constant conflicts and incidents of violent attacks, the government had initiated a policy to provide peace-keeping operations in the form of increased military presence in and around the affected areas. Besides the restoration of some temporary semblance of calm (possibly for the duration of their stay), these peace-keeping operations seem not to do much else, particularly in terms of addressing ways and avenues to enthrone actual lasting, sustainable peace. Rather than limiting its efforts to providing Peace-Keeping military forces, Peace-Building efforts, which address the root causes and effects of these conflicts would serve better and would ensure more durable and sustainable peace between the contending parties in these seemingly perennial and incessant conflicts. Such peace-building efforts should include, among other things, the setting down of structures which, while engaged in identifying and addressing the said root causes of these violent pastoral conflicts, would also include efforts at supporting, enhancing or promoting internal local capacities for conflict resolution and peace management among the conflict parties. By so doing, the recurrence of violence could be prevented or minimised. As part of such peace-building efforts the affected communities and herdsmen could, in addition be assisted in initiating and building up conflict resolution mechanisms, which would come into effect in early enough stages to prevent or ameliorate actual or impending conflicts. Possible avenues for engagement and interactions through dialogue, periodical meetings, negotiations or other physical interactions, if created, would equally go a long way in building relational “bridges” between both sides, thereby reducing tensions and the likelihood of future conflicts.

There is need, on the part of the Federal Government and the affected state governments, to institute some necessary action towards tackling the incessant problem of acute water shortage and drought (which are the two key issues that drive the herdsmen out of their immediate environment to seek fresh pasture and clean water elsewhere). There were reports of a commitment by the Federal Government towards the implementation of the United Nations and African Union backed Great Green Wall programme, which brings together eleven (11) countries to plant trees across Africa, in order to lessen the effects of desertification and improve the ecosystem integrity in the dry land in the northern parts of the country, stretching from Zamfara and Kebbi states in the North-West, along the northern border of Nigeria to the extreme eastern border of Borno state and involving eight (8) states in all. The project is said to include a community participation component at its core, therefore offering a sense of ownership of the project to affected communities and enhancing the project’s likelihood of sustainable success. If concluded successfully, this project will go a very long way in reducing the great insecurity scenarios involving pastoral herdsmen in the region.

Perhaps some thought should, in addition be given to the enactment of relevant legislation to enable the grant of pastoral leases in some designated areas, taking into consideration, native or indigenous land rights, as the case may be. A pastoral lease is an arrangement whereby a lease is granted to livestock owners, over state or government owned land for the purpose of grazing or other pastoral use. Widely used in some countries like Australia and New Zealand, this lease concept should perhaps be studied, with a view to possible, suitable adaptation for use in Nigeria, if found to be relevant and suitable. An alternative would be consideration for the possible issuance of grazing permits on designated federal or state lands, as the case may be, for a limited time only, with certain firm conditions attached.

On the part of the cattle owners if they could, in liaison with their national association and in consultation with relevant government arms and agencies, develop new business models which are in tune with best practices and world standards, by building and situating their cattle in well-irrigated ranches, the problem of pastoral conflicts could be reduced to a minimum. The cattle business is huge, revenue yielding export business for some countries including Spain, Argentina and Brazil. There have not been reported cases of pastoral conflicts in these countries which have larger stocks of cattle than Nigeria, which rears mostly for internal consumption and has no established export trade in cattle. A situation where itinerant or nomadic cattle rearing has been adopted and entrenched for ages as a major, unchanging business model by cattle owners (not minding the hazards, risks and dangers this model poses to others) does raise a lot of questions. The fact that the herdsmen, most of whom are largely uneducated, roam major inter-state

highways, veering into vulnerable unrelated villages & communities where they raid and kill in order to forcefully graze and water privately owned cattle only serves to inflame and heighten existing tensions, creating chains of conflicts which may be hard to manage in the long run. Perhaps if the herdsmen tended to seek and obtain permission from the farmers or communities on whose land they seek to graze these cattle, it would make for a different, more cohesive story. The fact that they bear arms and ammunition not just for the protection of their cattle from possible rustling, but for use on unwary communities and farm owners opens multiple windows for criminality, mayhem and other unlawful, dangerous activities.

The business of pastoral cattle farming in Nigeria has reached a point where it ought to be properly regulated and the methods currently used, brought up to date. Methods which include raids, shooting, killing and abduction or violence of any kind should be outlawed and strict penalties and sanctions imposed by statute for any infringement. Regulation of the business would modernise the business, enhance its growth as an export business which can on its own generate revenue both for the owners and for the government through the cattle and its end products which apart from beef include hides, skin, gelatin, hooves etc.