Agwadu Lhebade, Ibrahim Garba Matthew

Keywords: Grazing law, crop farmers, animal herders, conflict and resurgence

Abstract

Since 2017, conflicts between crop farmers and animal herders have
resurged in Benue state. While scholars attribute the conflict in Benue to a plethora of issues, including climate change, the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and inconsistencies of state policies, none have considered an opposition to the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition
and Ranches Establishment Law (2017). This study examines how
opposition to the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches
Establishment Law (2017) reignite conflict between crop-farmers and
herders. The study was anchored on the frustration-aggression theory,
which argued that when goal-oriented persons are interrupted from achieving their goals, they resort to aggression. The study was a time
series study which collected data from primary and secondary sources.
Major findings of the study established that herdsmen, the main aggressors, are frustrated by the interruption of the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017) against their cattle rearing business. The study concludes that opposition to the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017) is responsible for the resurgence of conflicts between crop farmers and
animal herders in Benue State in recent years. The study recommends that the Benue state government should intensify sensitisation on the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017)
and give animal herders loans under favourable conditions to establish
ranches. Keywords: Grazing law, crop farmers, animal herders, conflict and
resurgence

Author Biography

Agwadu, Lhebade

Department of Political Science Federal University Wukari, Nigeria.

Email: [email protected]

Ibrahim, Garba Matthew

Police Barracks Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Benue State

Email: [email protected]

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