3.3. Conflict between farmers and herders Area affected: mainly in the Middle Belt but increasingly moving to southern states. Root of the conflict: Land, though ethnic and religious factors often also come into play. This conflict is probably the most serious for Nigeria at the mo- ment, since it has resulted in more deaths than those caused by Boko Haram in recent years. It is also one of the most complica- ted, as it mixes struggles for resources with political, religious and ethnic elements. For this reason, this report devotes more space to it than to the other conflicts. The roots of this conflict are as old as human history. Access to land and to pasture has been a challenge between nomads and settled communities, and traditionally governed by a delicate balance based on agreements about paths and roads to use.
Originally, the conflict had nothing to do with religion or ethni- city. Lack of natural resources, increasingly dry land, population growth, the need for more farming space, lack of water, but also an increase in cattle population has broken the balance. Also, the fact that clashes used to be fought with spears and arrows, while today some herders are armed with modern weapons, plays a sad roll in the dimension of the conflict. But in some places, because of the failure of security forces, competition over resources is used as a pretext to kill and maim along ethnic or religious lines. The conflict has also been dange- rously politicized by some state government officials who have inflamed tensions by embarking on a blame game along politi- cal party lines. Also, the fact that the Fulani herders are transhumant and not settled means that they are often neglected by the authorities and feel discriminated. Some of them are uneducated and have very poor life conditions. This frustration is used by terrorist and criminal groups to recruit them.
Who are the Fulani? “Fulani”, as they are widely known in Nigeria, is the Hausa name for the Fulɓe people that has been adopted into English. Whereas in French, Peul(s) is used, which comes from Wolof. This ethnic group is widely spread throughout West Africa, from Mauritania to Nigeria and Niger, and across parts of central Africa into Sudan. Due to their huge geographical distribution, they are not a homogeneous group, they have dialectical and cultural variations, but they are considered the largest pastoralist population in Africa and the largest nomadic pastoral community in the world. Some sources speak about 35-40 million worldwide, but it is difficult to know as it is difficult to assign individuals and to link some po- pulations to this particular ethnic group. They mainly raise cattle, but sheep and goats are also important. Most pastoral families now also farm crops on a subsistence basis – grains such as maize, sorghum, and millet, and vegetables like sweet potato and cowpea – even while raising livestock is their main activity and is central to their culture.
3.3.1 Religious dimension The pastoral Fulani are predominantly Muslim, but there is also a small and significant Fulani Christian minority. In this context, another important fact is that three times in history, the Fulani have established empires: the theocratic state of Fouta Djalon in Middle Guinea (18th century), the Fulani Empire of the Maci- na in Mali (19th century) and the Fulani Empire or the Sultanate of Sokoto in Nigeria (19th century). Even if today the Fulani do not control any state, it is very important to understand the role of the Fulani in the breakthrough of Islam in West Africa and the fear of Christians until today. This is a factor that feeds fear and reminds Christians and non-Muslims of the dark old times of sla- very and forced conversion. There are between 12-16 million Fulani in Nigeria (6%-8% of the population), but not all are nomads. According to reports given to ACN during research trips, most of the Fulani causing problems in Nigeria seem to be originally from neighboring countries.
The Fulani herdsmen’s transhumance route stretches from Lake Chad, in the north-east, to the area around Lagos in south-west Nigeria, i.e. it crosses the country diagonally, along an eastern axis. Depending on the circumstances – the season, how the harvest has been, the conditions of the crops and the number of cattle heads – serious conflicts occur in greater or lesser num- bers. Plateau, Taraba and Benue are the most affected states, all of them populated mostly by Christian farmers. It is difficult to know how much Islamic ideology and “jihad” play a role in the acts of violence. Is there a jihadist message and a further incentive to expand their areas of control through the her- ders? This is difficult to ascertain, but ACN partners speak about a “hidden agenda” because the fact is that they have invaded the lands of predominantly Christian farmers, murdering, raping and injuring, and ravaging villages and towns, and in so doing provo- king a mass departure of Christians who see their lives and
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