A few months ago I found an article that reported on Nigeria passing a controversial law that banned cattle grazing, allegedly targeting the semi-nomadic group in the country known as the Fulani. At the time I thought nothing of it. Today I found an article that related back to it and then I looked up the topic more and found it surprising. This conflict is considered the second biggest threat to security in Nigeria, right behind Boko Haram. The Fulani traditionally have migrated from the north during the dry season to allow for their cattle to graze in the southern parts of the country, but now farming communities have been built up in the area to allow for economic growth in the country. This helped start the conflict because as these communities popped up, access to water and land for grazing became increasingly difficult to find. Along with this, the farmers accuse the Fulani and their cattle of killing their crops, while the Fulani accuse the farmers of killing their cattle. As time has gone by, this has led to both sides becoming increasingly armed to protect themselves. The Nigerian government’s half-assed attempt to stabilize this region was to ban cattle grazing in hopes of the Fulani taking up ranching. This won’t do anything because the Fulani aren’t going to give up on their traditions, and in their eyes they are the ones that are being targeted by the government. As much as I wish I had an answer to peacefully solve this conflict, there’s a lot to consider when coming up with a plan. Hopefully this conflict does end peacefully, and relatively soon too.
