@article{10.11648/j.jenr.20221104.11,
  author = {Dominic Obilor Akabuiro},
  title = {Herders and Farmers Competition over Natural Resources and Its Impacts on Human Rights in Nigeria},
  journal = {Journal of Energy and Natural Resources},
  volume = {11},
  number = {4},
  pages = {107-119},
  doi = {10.11648/j.jenr.20221104.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jenr.20221104.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jenr.20221104.11},
  abstract = {The increasing undocumented migration of foreign Fulani herders into Nigeria through over 1,000 porous borders has brought about an influx of illegal foreign herders into the country. The super increase in the numbers foreign herders which came into the country with their numerous cattle automatically exacerbated competition between local farmers and increased herders over the same natural resources like pastures, water resources and land. This escalated violent conflicts between herders and indigenous farmers in Nigeria. This violent conflict has led to huge infringements of people’s Fundamental Human Rights to life, shelter, human dignity, and freedom of religion. Aside poor enforcement of relevant laws, competition over scarce natural resources, environmental and overpopulation issues, and ethno-religious and alleged Nigerian government complacency, have all been eluded as combined causations of this conflict and its human rights impacts. Most times, these herders fail to recognize and compensate the local farmers whose land and natural resources have been depleted due to their grazing activities. Instead, they attack them and infringe their fundamental right to life when these local farmers confront them. This paper is an attempt to intellectually investigate this crisis vis-a-vis its human rights impact as well as government policy and legislative approaches towards resolving the same. The paper adopts a qualitative and doctrinal research methodology. The objectives of this paper are; to establish a nexus between the poor implementation of the relevant extant laws and herders-farmers conflicts in Nigeria. Also, to understand how competition over scarce natural resources, environmental factors, ethno-religious reasons, and government lopsided approaches to the crisis have escalated the crisis and its consequent human rights violations. Also, the paper examines the nature of Nigerian border crossing issues and interrogates the nature and causes of the conflict including; environmental causes and alleged “fulanisation” and Jihadist agenda. The paper also x-rays the human rights implications of this endemic crisis. The paper conclusively makes recommendations for resolving the illegal herders’ border crossing, conflicts, and human rights issues discussed in the paper.},
 year = {2022}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Herders and Farmers Competition over Natural Resources and Its Impacts on Human Rights in Nigeria
AU  - Dominic Obilor Akabuiro
Y1  - 2022/11/04
PY  - 2022
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jenr.20221104.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.jenr.20221104.11
T2  - Journal of Energy and Natural Resources
JF  - Journal of Energy and Natural Resources
JO  - Journal of Energy and Natural Resources
SP  - 107
EP  - 119
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7404
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jenr.20221104.11
AB  - The increasing undocumented migration of foreign Fulani herders into Nigeria through over 1,000 porous borders has brought about an influx of illegal foreign herders into the country. The super increase in the numbers foreign herders which came into the country with their numerous cattle automatically exacerbated competition between local farmers and increased herders over the same natural resources like pastures, water resources and land. This escalated violent conflicts between herders and indigenous farmers in Nigeria. This violent conflict has led to huge infringements of people’s Fundamental Human Rights to life, shelter, human dignity, and freedom of religion. Aside poor enforcement of relevant laws, competition over scarce natural resources, environmental and overpopulation issues, and ethno-religious and alleged Nigerian government complacency, have all been eluded as combined causations of this conflict and its human rights impacts. Most times, these herders fail to recognize and compensate the local farmers whose land and natural resources have been depleted due to their grazing activities. Instead, they attack them and infringe their fundamental right to life when these local farmers confront them. This paper is an attempt to intellectually investigate this crisis vis-a-vis its human rights impact as well as government policy and legislative approaches towards resolving the same. The paper adopts a qualitative and doctrinal research methodology. The objectives of this paper are; to establish a nexus between the poor implementation of the relevant extant laws and herders-farmers conflicts in Nigeria. Also, to understand how competition over scarce natural resources, environmental factors, ethno-religious reasons, and government lopsided approaches to the crisis have escalated the crisis and its consequent human rights violations. Also, the paper examines the nature of Nigerian border crossing issues and interrogates the nature and causes of the conflict including; environmental causes and alleged “fulanisation” and Jihadist agenda. The paper also x-rays the human rights implications of this endemic crisis. The paper conclusively makes recommendations for resolving the illegal herders’ border crossing, conflicts, and human rights issues discussed in the paper.
VL  - 11
IS  - 4
ER  - 

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