Insurgency and Social Economic Development of Nigeria (a Case Study of Fulani Herdsmen Insurgency)

Abstract of Insurgency and Social Economic Development of Nigeria (a Case Study of Fulani Herdsmen Insurgency)

This study examined insurgency and social economic development of Nigeria. The increasing wave of insecurity has not abated but has taken a dangerous dimension which is threatening the corporate existence of the country. Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Northern Nigeria and which is now spreading to the Southern parts of the country has posed a multifaceted threat to the nation. Consecutive governments have done everything possible to curtail it with no significant success achieved. Though, adequate attention has not been paid to its social economic development, which this study has examined.

The research objectives were to; examine the socio-economic effects of Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria; find out the causes of insurgency in Nigeria; assess the social implications of Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria; and to investigate the measures put in place by the Federal Government to combat insurgency in Nigeria. This research work made use of qualitative source of data, through which data were gathered using interview technique, online articles and analysed using the content analysis.

The findings showed that, the socio-economic effects of Fulani herdsmen insurgency has led to the collapse of tourism industry, discouragement of both home and foreign investors, negatively affected the education in the Northern part of Nigeria, inability of the government to implement vital project for the people. The study also revealed that, poverty, corruption, ethnicity, unemployment, lack of proper education, religious extremist, inequality in the distribution system, illiteracy, and weak security system are the factors causing insurgency in Nigeria. Also, the incessant attack of Fulani herdsmen has led to the closure of schools and institutions in the northern parts of the country, and lastly, one of the measures put in place to combat insurgency in Nigeria is the establishment of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and with the support of the Nigerian Air Force and the Army

The study recommends that, the government should match words with action in dealing with the security challenges in Nigeria. This should include equipping the military, re-organizing the police force, settlement of political, economic and religious disputes without favoritism. Also, the Federal government should provide enabling environment and adequate tools to well trained security agents to perform their duties on the terrorist group. Besides, the government of Nigeria should partner with the international community in addressing the Fulani herdsmen insurgency and other criminal activities in the country.

 

Chapter One of Insurgency and Social Economic Development of Nigeria (a Case Study of Fulani Herdsmen Insurgency)

Background to the Study

Nigeria as a country is a broad-based and a multi-religious state having a population of over 160 million inhabitants cutting across the divides of ethnicity and religious beliefs. Nigeria consists of 36 states, a federal capital territory (FCT) and 774 local government councils, (Oyeniyi, 2015). The complexity of Nigeria as a country is based on its political formation, economic, social and religious inclinations. Ever since Nigeria gained her independence, the country has experienced a lot of ethnic and religious crisis of diverse degrees and magnitude (Gilbert, 2016). Grappling with such political and economically motivated crises, successive regimes in Nigeria have been criticized by either the Muslim or Christian faithfuls when they are not favoured, (Ezea, 2019).

Akhain (2015) sees insurgency as a threat to the economic, political and social security of a nation and a major factor leading to underdevelopment, mainly because insurgency does not encourage investments both from the local and foreign investors. In addition, insurgency reduces the quality of life, destroys human and social capital, damages relationship between citizens and the states, undermining democracy, rule of law and the ability of the country to promote development, (Akhain, 2015). When the residents of a country do not feel secure, their enthusiasm to invest, buy or rent from the product of investment declines, and that is why all over the world today, any country that emits an environment of lack of security naturally discourages investment initiatives from both the local and foreign investors, (Mamkaa, 2018). Globally, every country has its peculiar problems and challenges in which Nigeria is not an exception. Today, insecurity is one of the greatest problems bedeviling Nigeria as a country in diverse degrees, as it affects the policies of government and as well hinders development, (Ifijeh, 2016).

At the moment, Nigeria is experiencing persistent mass killings by Fulani herdsmen, bandits and Boko Haram and this has continued to raise the insecurity level of Nigeria very high. Contemporary discussion in relation to Nigeria is almost inexorably replete with issues surrounding insecurity, militancy, insurgency, and terrorism, as a result of the linkages with economic, social, political and governance activities, with spiraling effects on the social economic development of Nigeria, (Adewumi, 2018). Ever since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, there has been an increase in the number of violent activities across the country with Herdsmen-Farmers insurgency, ethnic clashes, and banditry, etc. The herdsmen-farmers clash has turned out to be a great threat to internal security as their activities have now gone beyond the Northern part of Nigeria to the Southern and Western parts of Nigeria, (Nwagboso, 2018). With the escalating and persistent violent attacks on security forces, civilians, churches and mosques, farms, schools, as well as communities, it has further compounded a number of challenges already faced in Nigeria especially in the Northern part, (Gadzama, 2018).

Sadly, the federal government of Nigeria has failed on her responsibilities to provide an enabling, secured and safe environment for lives, properties and the conduct of business and economic activities, (Ewetan, 2015). The increasing rate of insecurity in Nigeria has fuelled the rate of crime and terrorists attacks in different parts of the country, leaving unpleasant effects on the social, economic and development of the country. Among the deteriorating security state of affairs in the country, Nigeria is as well faced with daunting developmental challenges which pose serious threat to its socio-economic development. These developmental challenges include widespread rural and urban poverty, increase in the rate of unemployment, incapacitating youth unemployment, shortage of industrial output, unstable and weakening exchange rate, increase in the rate of inflation, lack of adequate physical and social infrastructure, enormous domestic debt, and increasing stock of external debt, (Ewetan, 2015)

The existing Fulani Herdsmen insurgency across the various parts of Nigeria that originally took the form of sectarian religious violence has escalated into terrorist activities with top-level political affiliations making it a relatively difficult nut for the Nigerian government to fight, (Gilbert, 2018). As a result, Nigeria has not known peace for over a decade now. According to Mohammed (2019), Fulani Herdsmen has destroyed the economic activities of places they have spread their tentacles to as well as led to movement of people from the affected place due to restlessness, which has created fear and sense of insecurity in the Nigerian communities. In particular, between May 2015 and January 2020 a lot of villages and communities were attacked by Fulani herdsmen and a lot of individuals as well as women and children were killed in great numbers, (Adesoji, 2017). To accentuate, majority of the victims are Christians and non-Fulani indigene. In other words, the herdsmen attacks are targeted at non-Fulani residents, (Bello, 2016). The Fulani herdsmen belong to a different ethnic group in Nigeria called Fulani. They are an itinerant group of cattle herders, that is, they move about from one place to the other to graze their cattle, (Anter, 2017).

The ruthless activities of the herders have unsettled the country to the level that ample time and socio-economic cum political resources that are expected to be channeled to the development of the entire country is being wasted on various efforts geared towards checkmating and possibly, annihilating the insurgency in Nigeria, especially in the Northern geopolitical zone of the country, (Amzat, Fagbemi, Lawal, Wantu, & Akingboye, 2016). It can be agreed that, the North-east is the epicenter of the insurgency but its effect reverberates through the entire country and has constituted a major source of underdevelopment to Nigeria.

Security is a vital element in the development of states’ affairs, (Marc, Mogaka, & Verjee, 2015), and on the local level, policymakers and relevant stakeholders are putting diverse mechanisms in place to address the issues of insurgency and insecurity in order to create an enabling society for all, (Adegoroyo, Iorhemen, & Nyam, 2018). It can be observed that, the Northern part of Nigeria hasn’t known peace for more than a decade now, due to the ongoing restlessness and insecurity in the region, and as a result, they haven’t been able to actualize their full potential, (Ezea, 2019). Likewise in the Southern, Eastern and Western parts of Nigeria, these scenarios have played out in recent times with the uprising and intensification of the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the regions.

Undoubtedly, the continual clash between Fulani herdsmen-farmers, bandits, and Boko Haram activities in the country seems to be a major security challenge faced by President Buhari’s government. Therefore, it is important that a study of this nature is carried out in order to examine the effect of insurgency on the socio-economic development of Nigeria, using Fulani Herdsmen Insurgency as case study.

Statement of the Problem

The insurgence of Fulani herdsmen deadly attacks have led to the death of thousands of innocent Nigerians lives, majority of who are farmers and Christians have been killed, (Ezea, 2019). Consequently, the dangerous trend that insecurity has assumed in the country with killing, slaughtering, maiming and kidnapping of innocent people is frightening, (Oli, Ibekwe & Nwakwo, 2018), which has escalated the call for splitting of the country. Quite a lot of violent attacks by the Fulani herdsmen have affected the socio-economic activities in Nigeria, especially in the Northern parts of Nigeria which includes Maiduguri, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa.

Without a doubt, attacks by herdsmen have turned out to be the most potent threat to national security in the last couple of years. However, what makes the attacks by herdsmen very disturbing are the frequency, the level of destruction and sheer brutality, which is characterized by high casualty rate and massive displacement of communities, (Gadzama 2018).

The following problems are identified in the course of the study;

1. What are the socio-economic effects of Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria?
2. What are the causes of Fulani herdsmen conflict or attacks in Nigeria?
3. Are there any measures put in place by the Federal Government to combat the menace of insurgency in Nigeria?
4. How effective are the measures adopted by the Federal Government in combating insurgency in Nigeria?

Therefore, it is against this backdrop that this study examines the impact of insurgency on the socio-economic development of Nigeria, using Fulani Herdsmen Insurgency.

Research Objectives

The main objective of the study is to examine insurgency and socio-economic development of Nigeria. However, the specific objectives are to;

1. examine the socio-economic effects of Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria.
2. find out the causes of insurgency in Nigeria.
3. assess the social implications of Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria
4. investigate the measures put in place by the Federal Government to combat insurgency in Nigeria.

Research Questions

The following research questions will be poised for the study

1. What are the socio-economic effects of Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria?
2. What are the causes of insurgency in Nigeria?
3. Are there any social implications of Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria?
4. Are there any measures put in place by the Federal Government to combat insurgency in Nigeria?

Significance of the Study

It is hoped that, the findings of this study will help expand the literature on insurgency and its effects on socio-economic development in Nigeria. The understanding of this will help put the government and other stakeholders in a better position to formulate policies and strategies that will curtail the menace of the insurgency in Nigeria.

Further, the findings of this study will advocate and bring to light the need to address the perceived causes of insurgency in the country.

Moreover, it is hoped that, the findings of this study would be a catalyst towards achieving sustainable security, peace and religious tolerance for unity and steady growth for the troubled regions and the country in general.

In addition, the findings of this study will be useful to the researcher and scholars as it contributes to the body of knowledge in the area of insurgency. And lastly, this study will assist other researchers to further their studies on areas of interest not yet exploited.

Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is to examine the impact of insurgency on the socio-economic development of Nigeria. This study is confined to Fulani herdsmen insurgency in Nigeria, and the implications on security, social, and economic development of Nigeria.

Methodology of the Study

The methodology of this study will be qualitative in nature using the interview source of data collection. The issue under discussion is a global menace which cuts across the globe, although there have been few literatures on the subject matter, this shall be referred to in discussing the topic at hand.

Purposive sampling will be used to select respondents from population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria. This sampling method will be used because it will help the researcher to focus on study participants who have been exposed to insurgency and have experienced sufferings and losses as a result of their exposure to the violence perpetuated by the group. Face-to-face interviews will be carried out at the convenience of study participants. A content analysis approach to data analysis will be used to extract, organize and analyze the data to obtain emergent themes and their interwoven relationships.

Operational Definition of Terms

Insurgency: An armed movement or struggle that is intended to overthrow an existing government using a variety of violent and nonviolent tactics that include drawing support and sympathy from an acquiescent population in a weak state fractured along ethnic and sectarian cleavages

Insurgents: Individuals who willingly enlist as members of Fulani herdsmen and consciously carry out violent attacks against members of the society most especially farmers with the intent of grazing, kidnapping, maiming, or killing people and destroying properties and infrastructures.

Insecurity: The feeling of uncertainty and lack of confidence as a result of the combination of different factors that contribute to conflicts, and eventually to the destruction of lives and properties

Terrorism: The use of violence and intimidation intentionally and indiscriminately by a group or an individual to cause and create fear, death, or destruction of others.

Herders: are nomadic pastoralists who are mainly Fulanis, one of the ethnic groups in Northern Nigeria. Their main pre-occupation is rearing of livestock such as cattle, sheep and donkey.

Farmers: are found in every part of the country and belongs to virtually all ethnic groups in Nigeria. They cultivate all kinds of crops for either cash or consumption.

Violence: Any premeditated use of force, or threat of use of force, upon a victim by an offender that may cause death, injury, or loss of property or livelihood to the victim and disturb the peace of individuals in a society or entity

Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs