THE RISING HERDSMEN MILITANCY AND SECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Does human life still matter in Nigeria or have cows better economic values than human beings? These questions agitate the minds of these scholars hence the choice of this research topic. It is unfathomable and unimaginable the magnitude of violence and security challenges facing the Nigerian state in recent times. Human beings are slaughtered almost on daily basis and given mass burials following the recent phenomenal wave of the rising herdsmen militancy especially the northcentral states of Nigeria. No doubt, this new phenomenon has added to the surging wave of Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. The main thrust of this paper is to examine the causes of this obnoxious herdsmen militancy and the incessant attacks on farmers, farmlands and communities. We shall be investigating the sources of the deadly weapons at the disposals of these herdsmen and efforts so far by the federal and state governments at quelling the violence and bringing the perpetrators to book. This will lead us into the assumption that since they are sponsored by some powerful unseen hands hence their untouchable nature. Descriptive approach will be used in the gathering of data. The nature of this research also warrants the conduct of interviews which the writers will not ignore but explore as a means of eliciting useful information on the issue under discourse. This research identified that these groups of militant herdsmen are no foreigners as claimed but bunch of incorrigible Fulani dancing the tune of some unseen drummers. This paper recommends that federal government must show sincere commitment towards disarming these herdsmen and to ensure that justice is served in this issue. Furthermore, the communities in collaboration with the state governments should not fold their hands but must rise up to the occasion to protect their communities instead of desertion.