CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Fula origin also known as Fulani are a mass inhabitants widely dispersed in all of Africa, but most predominant in West Africa. The Fulani people are descendants from Middle East and North Africa. However, the history of the Fulani origin began with the Berbers of North Africa around the 8th or 11th century AD (Anter, 2015). Over a millennium ago from AD 900 – 1900, they spread to most parts of West Africa and to some areas of Central Africa (Anter, 2015). The Fulani migrants were predominantly Muslims. As the population increases, the number of converts to Islam also increased. In the opening of 18th century, there were revolts between the Fulani and the local people. Although, these uprisings began as holy wars (jihads), aer their triumph they followed the basic standard of Fulani ethnic dominance in most West African States. Most of the Fulani people are nomadic in nature, herding sheep, goats and cattle across the dry grass lands of their environs and making them the main pastoral nomadic group in the world. The main Fulani sub groups in Nigeria are: Fulbe Gombe, Fulbe Adamawa, Fulbe Sokoto, Fulbe Mbororo, and Fulbe Borgu (Kasarachi, 2016). The Fulani unarguably represent a significant part of the economy of Nigeria. They are the major breeders of goats, sheep and cattle as those animals are the major source of meat and affordable source of animal proteins ate by Nigerians.

The Fulani own over ninety percent of the livestock population which accounts for one-third of agricultural GDP and 3.2% of the entire GDP in Nigeria (Fabiyi & Otunuga, 2016). The Fulani herdsmen mostly move with their cattle’s from one destination to another in search of grazing land especially in the dry season. When the Fulani light-skinned herders are migrating, they are often accompanied by their dark-skinned sedentary kinsmen (urban or town Fulani), who are better educated, more dynamic as politicians, and were fanatical and versed as Muslims than the former. When the herders encounter local opposition to their encroachments, the sedentary provide the requisite political and military strategy for resistance, and when the sedentary felt the need for socio-religious cleansing (a jihad), the herdsmen provide the rank and file of the fighting forces. However, the Fulani herders in most cases settled in fertile areas to rear their cattle and when the migration continued to be dictated by economic and socio-political factors, increased trends of conflicts between the herders and their host communities (farmers) escalated. Many Nigerians lost their lives, properties/ farmlands or crops every year to Fulani herders. The conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and farmers came into existence as a result of encroachment of farmlands by the Fulani herders.

Nigeria is under a severe internal and security threat as the threat has political, economic and environmental dimensions. Each of these dimensions has critically affected the stability of the nation and can be traced to many factors in which the Fulani-herdsmen appears to be major factor. Most worrisome in the present development is the pillaging, raping, killing and kidnapping by the so called Fulani herdsmen. Stories are found in the national dailies on daily basis of how these shepherds strategically attack several communities and houses, with sophisticated assault gunsAK-47. According to Okereke (2012) and Bello (2013), the conflicts in most part of Nigeria especially the Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash are largely uncalled for. Farmers can no more do their farm work peacefully due to herdsmen. These herdsmen and farmers clash have placed Christians and Muslims against themselves. Recently, studies carried out by Okereke (2012) and Kasarachi (2016) have clearly shown that, magnificent conflict erupt between herdsmen and farmers resulting to loss of lives, valuable properties and mass destruction of large expanse of arable farmlands thereby causing serious threat to food security since farmers for fear of attack could no longer go to farm and harvest their farm produce. The latest attacks by Fulani herdsmen is on the upsurge, with the most latest attacks in February 2018 happening in Benue State, Taraba State, Nassarawa State and few cases of attack in other states. In recent times, the killings recorded by Fulani herdsmen and farmers clash has rampaged most communities displacing them of their farmlands and loss of their major source of livelihood. This is getting to the apex with the herdsmen mostly having their means leaving the farmers at their mercy. Herdsmen imposed the roots of the clashes to religious differences leading to the killing of their cows while the farmers see the herdsmen as a danger to their crops and agricultural produce since the herdsmen allow their cows to eat the farmer crops. This recent wave of conflict in Nigeria as noticed by Kasarachi (2016) has hindered socioeconomic, religious and educational activities, political instability and threatened the national unity in Nigeria. These extra judiciary killings have forced thousands of people to abandon their homes and farmlands for safety. This unfolding violence have become so devastating that there is no speculation the fact that Nigeria is at a crossroad and gradually drifting to a conflict society (Okereke 2012). Equally begging for answers are the social issues of the rape of women, robbery and kidnapping with ultimate intent for ransom. Hence the study, the impact of herdsmen and farmers clashes on the socio-economic development of secondary schools in Benue state.