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Tales of woe: farmers–herders conflict and victimisation experiences in Nigeria

Pius Enechojo Adejoh (Department of Sociology, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria)
Omobolanle Gift Amaike (Department of Sociology, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria)
Augustine Okechuchwu Agugua (Department of Sociology, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria)
Gafar Femi Olowu (Department of Social work, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria)
Sofiat Busari-Akinbode (Department of Social work, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria)

Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research

ISSN: 1759-6599

Article publication date: 5 September 2022

Issue publication date: 17 November 2023

32

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the victimisation experiences of farmers, herders and community members within the context of the persistent conflict between farmers and herders across Nigeria, with specific focus on Anambra, Benue and Oyo states in south-east, north-central and south-west geopolitical zones of the country, respectively.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used the cross-sectional survey to elicit quantitative data from 725 respondents made up of 256 farmers, 225 herders and 244 community members aged 18 years and above, in six purposively sampled local government areas in the three states, while 16 in-depth interviews, 19 key informant interviews and 18 focus group discussions were conducted to extract qualitative data from purposively sampled farmers, herders, community leaders and members of the study communities.

Findings

The results show that farmers, herders and other community members in the study suffered losses in the form of destruction of farmlands and livelihood, internal displacement and human fatalities, for the farmers and community members; and destruction of livelihood, loss of money and human fatalities, for the herders. The paper predicts a worsening of the feud between these groups and the attendant reprisal attacks and victimisation if the current binary narrative of victimhood that privileges the needs and experiences of one group over the other persists, and urges stakeholders to put in place enduring structures that will minimise nomadic herding and ensure proactive security.

Originality/value

The focus on the issue of the “victimisation experiences” of herders and farmers and the invitation to researchers and policymakers to examine the role of the prevailing binary construction of victimhood in the conflict is a refreshing addition to other works on this subject.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This article derived from an original study on “Farmers-Herders Conflict and Agricultural Production in Nigeria” which was funded by the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), as part of her Meaning-Making Research Initiatives (MRI) 2018. The authors are thus grateful for the Council’s financial support.

Citation

Adejoh, P.E., Amaike, O.G., Agugua, A.O., Olowu, G.F. and Busari-Akinbode, S. (2023), "Tales of woe: farmers–herders conflict and victimisation experiences in Nigeria", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 245-259. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-04-2022-0711

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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