On 19 Jul 2024, at least 18 civilians were killed, an unknown number of people were injured, and three others were kidnapped during an attack by suspected bandits in the Mbacher community, Katsina-Ala local government area (L.G.A.), Benue State. The Katsina-Ala Chairman Justine Shaku stated that the villagers notified him of the attack around 11:00 pm local time. The incident is the latest in a series of violent attacks plaguing Nigeria’s north-central region, fuelled by ongoing multi-faceted farmer-herder conflicts and local banditry that have led to thousands of deaths and property damage. Despite concerted efforts from international institutions and the government, the crisis has continued with no end in sight. The United Nations Development Programme (U.N.D.P.), alongside partners Food and Agriculture Organization (F.A.O.) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (U.N.H.C.R.), have organized peacebuilding projects intending to understand the dynamics of the conflict by engaging local community leaders and responding to the humanitarian crisis. On its part, the Nigerian government have combined both the use of military force and non-combative strategies to resolve the conflict. Civil society organizations (C.S.O.s) and N.G.O.s, local and international have collaborated to help in resolving the crisis.

The farmer-herder conflict which began in the early 1800s after a farmer was allegedly killed by a herder, has worsened progressively. Initially triggered by competition for resource-grazing land, the conflict has, over the past 10 years, evolved into a complex situation marked by ethnic and religious divisions, fueled by the rise of local militias. According to the data obtained from the International Crisis Group (I.C.G.), its impact on human security was six times deadlier than the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast with over 1,300 deaths between January and June of 2018. More than 5,000 people have lost their lives since 2015, and the present situation poses a significant threat to food productivity in the state.

Katsina-Ala, a part of the Sankara axis which includes two other local government areas, Ukum and Logo are the most affected areas in Benue State, alongside Guma, Gwer West, Agatu, Buruku, and Kwande. The state government’s attempts to curb the conflict by compensation, dialogue, anti-open grazing law, and protests, have proven ineffective and have deepened with reports of armed groups now controlling around 20 lgas in the state. The escalating violence in the state prompted Governor Ali to request “full military intervention” in Ukum lga after an attack left six civilians killed. It has become evident that military operations have become counterproductive, as bandits and armed groups often launch deadly reprisal attacks against communities. The recent attack in Katsina-Ala, despite a curfew imposed by the state government after the Ukum incident, highlights the bandits’ growing resilience and disregard for government authority.

Yet, amidst these challenges, non-violent methods seem to be reportedly yielding some positive results when compared to military strategies. In a report published on 26 July, the N.E.E.M. Foundation, an N.G.O. disclosed that it has partnered with C.S.O.s and has prevented 1,000 conflicts across three states including Benue, through an initiative known as Protecting Our Community Initiative (P.O.C.I.) The project promotes civilian security where youths and women engage in constructive dialogue to build resilience. Notably, P.O.C.I. successfully facilitated unprecedented talks with herders and farmers, despite historical tensions. The programmes were implemented with the help of community-based C.S.O.s like Elohim, and Hope for the Village Child. The initiative establishes community mediators and early warning responses which consist of security agencies and youths and women in some local affected local government areas. Similarly, the United Nations “Peace Project” and the F.A.O. have played a major role in tackling the crisis. The F.A.O.’s ‘Integrated Approach to Building Peace to Farmers-Herders Crisis’ aimed at providing alternative animal feed production has benefitted around 1,800 farmers and herders since its launch in 2021. Despite these efforts, the issue remains unaddressed.

In recent years, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (M.A.C.B.A.N.), the advocacy group for pastoralists, has publicly condemned some of the attacks carried out by herders, dissociating itself from them, however, the group has indirectly blamed the government for the violence, attributing it to unfavourable policies like the law prohibiting open grazing and alleged harassment of herders by state-backed militias. Meanwhile, the Benue State Chapter of M.A.C.B.A.N. claimed that foreign herdsmen were behind violence against farming communities during a peace meeting with the state government in February 2024.

Furthermore, critics have accused the previous administration under former President Muhammadu Buhari of failing to decisively address the conflict, alleging bias due to Buhari’s Fulani ethnicity and the widespread association of herders with the Fulani tribe.

To find a lasting solution, it is imperative to identify and assess the root cause of the farmer-herder conflict. However, it has been established that military actions may not be able to resolve the problem alone. This has been manifested by the recent announcement of plans by the Federal Government to create a Ministry of Livestock and Development to address the farmer-herder conflict. The government should work directly with C.S.O.s and N.G.O.s to understand the needs of stakeholders in the affected communities and develop strategies to promote peacebuilding. Most importantly, the Benue State government should collaborate with non-governmental institutions to educate herders on the importance of ranches and their legal acquisition, while farmers should get justice when their farms get damaged by cattle.

A critical aspect of this process involves addressing the proliferation of weapons among herders and farmers in the state. This includes identifying local manufacturers and importers of guns as these weapons are the main tools used to perpetrate violence which can undermine conflict prevention. The government should prioritize the introduction of programmes to encourage armed herders and farmers to drop their weapons to prevent the further spread of arms and ammunition. However, this may only work after the government has shown genuine commitment to dialogue and addressing underlying problems. Given the religious undertone of the conflict, religious leaders should be involved in early warning systems, working with N.G.O.s and C.S.O.s to de-escalate issues before it gets out of control.

Continuous support from both government agencies and international organizations is crucial to assisting civilians affected by the conflict including displaced people. The international community can address food shortage in the state and provide alternative means of livelihood, particularly for farmers who have lost their farms and properties. Adequate security should be provided at Internally Displaced Persons (I.D.P.) camps as they remain subject to attacks. To further prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis, international communities are encouraged to support N.G.O.s and C.S.O.s with adequate funding to help displaced persons with basic needs like food, access to healthcare, education etc. As of May 2024, more than 1.5 million people have been displaced from their homes in Benue state.

Lastly, the Benue State government may want to limit the use of deadly force as a means to resolve the conflict, as this has caused more harm than good. The recent call for, military intervention in Ukum local government area risks triggering further violence and reprisal attacks against civilians.