Nigeria’s Middle Belt, a region encompassing states such as Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, and parts of Niger, Kogi, and Kaduna, is among the country’s most ethnically and religiously diverse zones. Historically, farmer–herder relations were governed by customary arrangements over land, water, and grazing routes. From the 1990s onwards, those relations have mutated into violent conflict involving farmers (often sedentary) and Fulani herders, driven by environmental changes, population growth, and weakened governance.
Origins of the Conflict
Fulani pastoralists have traversed West African terrains seasonally for generations, grazing cattle and relying on established routes and reserves. Farming communities, meanwhile, cultivated crops in fertile Middle Belt lands. Mutual dependencies once fostered coexistence: herder animals grazed post-harvest gleanings, and their manure enriched soil.
Several trends disrupted this balance:
- Population growth intensified pressure on land.
- Environmental degradation, including drought and desertification in northern Nigeria, pushed herders southward.
- Decline in effective grazing reserves and failure to maintain colonial-era and later grazing corridors incited disputes.
- Ethno-religious dimensions: many herders are Muslim Fulani; many farming communities in the Middle Belt are Christian or adhere to indigenous beliefs. This overlay of identity made tensions more volatile.
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Key Events and Escalation
Plateau State & Jos Crises (2000s)
Plateau State, especially Jos, became a major flashpoint. Starting around the early 2000s, conflicts over land, political representation, ethnicity, and identity in Jos translated into repeated cycles of violence. Ethno-religious crisis studies show that farmer–herder disputes were interwoven with religious and communal rivalries.
Benue State & Anti-Grazing Legislation
- In 2017, Benue State passed the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law. It aimed to ban unrestricted cattle movement and promote ranching.
- Between 2013 and mid-2017, Benue State reportedly suffered about 46 attacks by suspected herdsmen, which led to over 1,500 deaths and property destruction across many local government areas.
Continuing Violence (2010s–2020s)
- Between 2014 and 2017, in Benue State alone, violent herder attacks resulted in approximately 4,333 deaths, the destruction of tens of thousands of homes, and many churches.
- The New Year’s Day 2018 attacks in Benue state left more than 70 people dead in coordinated assaults by armed herders, generating strong public outrage.
Government and Community Responses
Legal and Policy Measures
- Several states (including Benue) have enacted anti-open grazing laws. Compliance remains uneven. In Benue, from enactment until around 2020, over 400 arrests were made under the law for violations.
- Benue State government continues to affirm that the law remains in force and is being enforced in partnership with local security agencies, volunteer guards, and in some cases with updated surveillance methods.
Traditional and Local Responses
Community dialogues, local grazing accords, and mediation by traditional rulers and religious leaders have all been mobilised in affected areas. These have met with varying success depending on state support, resources, and security backing.
Humanitarian and Social Impacts
- Displacement: Thousands of people have been displaced from farming areas, living in camps or as internally displaced persons (IDPs). Many find it unsafe to return.
- Food insecurity: As farms are attacked or abandoned, agricultural output declines, increasing food scarcity and inflation.
- Destruction of property: Houses, farms, churches, and other communal property destroyed in many attacks.
- Erosion of trust: Communities once accustomed to cooperation now often expect conflict. Mutual suspicion has intensified ethnic divides.
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Evolving Dynamics
What began largely as localised competition over land and grazing routes has become a broader security challenge:
- Conflicts have become more militarised. Armed attacks, reprisals, and use of small arms have increased.
- Political stakes have grown: lawmaking (like anti-open grazing laws), state elections, and allocation of resources are now affected by these conflicts.
- Enforcement remains a challenge. Although laws exist, inconsistent implementation, resource constraints, and jurisdictional boundaries weaken efficacy. Benue’s governor has noted that anti-open grazing measures would be more effective with national legislation.
Why It Matters Now
- Agricultural backbone: The Middle Belt is a key food-producing region. The conflicts undermine national food security.
- Security load: These clashes stretch the capacity of security forces already dealing with insurgencies in other regions.
- Ethnic stability: A failure to reconcile these conflicts threatens national cohesion.
- Policy implications: Sustainable solutions, such as properly managed ranches, clearer land tenure, and national grazing frameworks, are urgent.
Conclusion
The farmer-herder clashes in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are a complex mixture of environmental stress, socio-economic pressures, historical grievances, weak governance, and identity politics. What were once manageable seasonal migration disputes have escalated into cycles of violence with significant human costs. Lasting peace requires a multi-pronged approach: enforcing existing laws fairly, supporting both farmers’ and herders’ livelihoods, strengthening local mediation, and integrating policies at both state and federal levels.
Author’s Note
This article presents verified historical and recent data on farmer–herder clashes in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, highlighting main events, legal responses, and humanitarian impacts. It emphasises how traditional arrangements broke down under pressure from demographic, environmental, and political shifts. The narrative underscores the need for coherent policies and active enforcement to mitigate continued violence.
References
- Sule, B., et al. “Open Grazing Prohibition Law, Political Economy of Centralised Law Enforcement Mechanism, and Nomadic Pastoralist-Sedentary Farmer Relations in Nigeria.” Tandfonline, 2024. Taylor & Francis Online
- “Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition Law Has Reduced Attacks.” Guardian Nigeria, 24 Nov 2020. The Guardian Nigeria
- “Effect of Insecurity on Agricultural Output in Benue State, Nigeria.” Ijirshar, V. U., Iortyom, I., Mile, B. N., Vershima, J. S., Adaudu, A. arXiv preprint, 2025.
