FARMERS HERDSMEN CLASHES AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION IN NIGERIA. A CASE STUDY OF BENUE STATE FROM 2015 TO 2018

ABSTRACT
The study was intended to examine Farmers/Herdsmen Clashes and National Integration in Nigeria: A Case Study of Benue State from 2015-2018. Two questions were developed in consonance with the objective of the study. The questions were answered based on the findings revealed from the literature review and overview of the study. Two research hypotheses were also formulated based on research questions and nature of the study. The research hypotheses were tested and upheld, otherwise accepted positively based on the empirical evidence of the data collected. Data were gathered from the secondary sources only. And, expo facto (or after the fact) research was used to discuss the overview of the conflicts between farmers and herdsmen in Benue State, pointing out the salient issues under the context; causes and effects of the conflicts in Benue State and ways forward. The major findings showed that draught and desertification, loss of grazing reserves, rural banditry and rustling, etc, have caused conflicts and lopsided the national integration in Benue State and Nigeria respectively. Based on the findings and subsequent conclusion, some recommendations were made which include: re-establishing grazing reserves, strengthening security operatives, re-establishing and strengthening conflict resolution mechanisms and among others by both the Benue State and Nigerian Governments in order to foster peaceful co-existence of the people .

1.1 Background of the Study
The sensitive conflicting issue between farmers and herdsmen particularly in the northern parts of (the country) Nigeria have become a re-occurring phenomenon in the political realm. Though the conflict could be traced to 20th century, when the cattle rearing was a norm in the Sahel savannah belt and that of the Sudan, where the production of crops were normally done during the raining season in a very little quantity. However the animosity that is been witness everyday between the farmers and herdsmen has beyond the rate of that of the 20th century when it was limited to the savannah belts of West Africa.

To this end, the conflicts have necessitated some political questionings or reckonings as to whether there is need for grazing law so as to empower the herdsmen in Nigeria. Fasona and Omogala (2016) posited that the intensification of conflict between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria has gradually advanced to geometrical progression with fierce intensification affecting the crop productions at the detriment of the large population of country. This conflict has massively affected the feeding of the population especially those that depend on subsistence agriculture as their means of livelihood. As posited by schema (1996), land, crops, livestock, water resources and vegetal resources particularly in the remote areas play a vital role in the development, maintenance and projection of socio-economic strength of the society. And the effect of the conflict between the herdsmen and the farmers mainly manifests destruction of in the agricultural productions and human beings (farmers) who cultivate crops.
Onovo (2015) quoted in Okoye (2017) states that the ongoing grassroots war between the Fulani herdsmen and the farmers in the North central and other southern states of Nigeria has been an age long conflict. Okoye further stated that the conflict has gradually escalated and threatened the peaceful co-existence of those communities, particularly Benue and Plateau States that have persistently lost many lives and properties of their indigenes. According to Onovo (2014) this same conflict has severally happened especially when the Fulani herders leave their land for non-Fulani communities in search of pastures for their cattle, thus misleading their cattle to destroy farmers’ farmlands in their areas.

In the light of the forgoing, the farmers whose farmlands are always destroyed have always retaliated by preventing herders into their communities or otherwise, killing or stealing herders’ cattle or poisoning them. Again the herders then re-enforce themselves by waging grievous attacks on the farmers through arms and ammunitions. These attacks have lasted for several decades, when the pastoralists started driving their cattle east and west across the Sahel region, the semi-arid zone south of the Sahara desert which the northern belt of Nigeria was part of. Blench (2001) explained that in the 20th century many, herders changed their migratory routes further south and equally ran away from being taxed the proposed jangali (tax imposed by colonial government in the northern religion).
According to Okoye (2017) and Obodoude (2016) several causes of conflict between Famers and Herdsmen affect the Nigerian population generally. The causes include the following: drought and desertification of the land, violent herders in operation, loss of grazing reserves, changes and lopsided pastoralism and farming practices, cattle rustling and rural banditry, escalating conflicts across Northern Nigeria by religious extremists, erosion of traditional mechanisms etc. Consequently the socio-economic and politico-philosophical effects of the clashes between Farmers and Herdsmen include the following: destruction of farmlands, destruction of houses, killing of farmers/herders, killing of cattle and other animals, displacement of people, shortage in farm production, creation of enmity between the herders and farmers etc. In view of the scenario given about, it becomes necessary to assess farmers/herdsmen clashes and national integration in Nigeria finding necessary solution to problem with particular emphasis on Benue State from 2015-2018.