Study of Armed Herder-Farmer Conflicts and Rural Security in Benue State

Armed conflicts between herders and farmers in Benue State have escalated over the past decade into one of Nigeria's most lethal forms of communal violence, displacing populations and destroying agricultural livelihoods across the Middle Belt zone. This study examined the patterns and security dimensions of herder-farmer conflicts in Logo, Guma, and Agatu Local Government Areas, Benue State, North Central Nigeria. A qualitative descriptive design was employed, combining focus group discussions with six displaced farming communities, structured interviews with 14 security and community officials, and documentary review of displacement and casualty records from 2020 to 2023. Thematic and documentary analysis was applied. Results identified four security dimensions shaped by the conflict: large-scale displacement (over 1.2 million IDP records reviewed), destruction of farm assets and food insecurity, proliferation of weapons beyond the initial herder-farmer dynamic, and collapse of traditional conflict resolution mechanisms. Key drivers identified included climate-induced pasture loss, inadequate open grazing reserves, population pressure on arable land, and political dimensions of weapons availability. Weak law enforcement response time in rural locations was cited by all informants as a critical enabling factor for violence escalation. The study recommends a National Ranching Policy implementation, herder-farmer dialogue platforms, reinforced rural security presence, and an IDP reintegration support programme in Benue State.

Keywords: herder-farmer conflict, rural security, Benue State, displacement, agrarian violence