THE FULANI MENACE IN NIGERIAN

 The term "Fulani menace" is often used to describe the ongoing conflicts involving Fulani herders in Nigeria, particularly the violent clashes between Fulani pastoralists and farming communities. These conflicts, primarily centered in Nigeria’s Middle Belt and increasingly spreading to southern and northwestern regions, are complex, rooted in economic, environmental, social, and political factors. While the conflicts are frequently framed as ethnic or religious violence, they are driven by competition over land and resources, exacerbated by climate change, population growth, and governance challenges. Below is a detailed examination of the issue, drawing on available information, critically analyzing the situation, and addressing the complexities while avoiding oversimplification.

 Historical and Social Context

The Fulani, also known as Fula or Fulɓe, are a large ethnic group spread across West Africa, with an estimated 13 million in Nigeria alone. They are predominantly Muslim and traditionally nomadic or semi-nomadic pastoralists, relying on cattle herding for their livelihood. Their nomadic lifestyle involves moving along grazing routes to find pasture and water, which often brings them into contact with settled farming communities, such as the Yoruba, Igbo, Berom, Tiv, and other ethnic groups in Nigeria. These interactions have historically led to tensions, but the intensity and frequency of violent conflicts have escalated in recent decades.

The conflicts date back to pre-colonial times but have worsened since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. Key historical factors include:

Colonial Legacy: During the British colonial era, the *burti* system established specific migration routes for herders with agreements between herders, farmers, and local authorities. This system collapsed in the 1970s as farmers began claiming ownership of lands along these routes, leading to disputes

 Land Use Policies: The 1978 Land Use Act in Nigeria empowered the government to allocate land and granted indigenous groups rights to claim ancestral territories, often excluding nomadic Fulani, who were not seen as "indigenous" to specific areas. This exclusion intensified competition for land.

Fulani Jihad and Historical Perceptions: The Fulani were involved in the 19th-century jihad led by Usman Dan Fodio, which established the Sokoto Caliphate. Some narratives in Nigeria frame current violence as a continuation of this historical push for Islamization, though this is contested and oversimplifies the issue.

Drivers of the Conflict

The escalation of the "Fulani menace" is driven by multiple interconnected factors:

1. Environmental and Resource Pressures:

   Climate Change and Desertification: Climate change has led to desertification in northern Nigeria, reducing available grazing land and forcing Fulani herders to migrate south into more fertile regions. This migration increases competition with farmers over land and water.

   Population Growth: Nigeria’s population growth has intensified pressure on arable land, reducing available space for both farming and grazing. This has led to encroachments on grazing routes and farmlands, sparking disputes.

2. Economic Survival:

   The Fulani’s pastoralist lifestyle depends on access to grazing routes, which are increasingly blocked by expanding farmland. Herders often resort to grazing on cultivated land, leading to crop destruction and retaliatory violence from farmers. Conversely, herders face cattle rustling and attacks, prompting their own reprisals

   - The conflict is primarily economic, centered on survival, but it has taken on ethnic and religious dimensions due to the identities of the groups involved (predominantly Muslim Fulani herders versus predominantly Christian farmers in the Middle Belt).

3. Proliferation of Arms:

   - The availability of small arms, particularly AK-47s, has replaced traditional weapons like machetes, escalating the lethality of clashes. Both Fulani herders and farming communities have armed themselves for protection, contributing to a cycle of violence

   - Some reports suggest that extremist groups like Boko Haram may be arming Fulani militias, framing economic disputes as religious conflicts to further their agendas, though this is not universally supported by evidence.

4. Government Inaction and Perceived Bias:

   - The Nigerian government’s response has been criticized as inadequate or biased. President Muhammadu Buhari, a Fulani, has been accused of downplaying the violence or failing to hold perpetrators accountable, fueling perceptions of complicity.

   - Military and security forces often arrive after attacks, failing to prevent violence or protect communities. Some allege collusion between security forces and Fulani militias, though evidence is inconclusive.

   - Policies like open grazing bans in states like Benue have escalated tensions, as herders view these as threats to their livelihood, while farmers see them as necessary to protect their crops

5. Ethnic and Religious Polarization:

   - The majority of Fulani are Muslim, while many farmers in the Middle Belt are Christian, leading to the conflict being framed as a religious war by some groups, particularly Western Christian organizations. However, conflicts also occur between Fulani herders and Muslim farmers in the northwest, indicating that religion is not the sole driver.

   - Narratives of "Fulanization" or "jihad" have gained traction, particularly in southern Nigeria, where some claim the Fulani are attempting to dominate or Islamize the country. These claims are often exaggerated and lack evidence of a coordinated agenda.

Scale and Impact of the Violence

The violence associated with Fulani herders has had devastating consequences, particularly in Nigeria’s Middle Belt states (Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Taraba). Key statistics and incidents include:

- Casualties:

  - In 2018, violence involving Fulani militias resulted in 1,868 fatalities, surpassing deaths caused by Boko Haram in the same period. January 2018 alone saw 91 violent events, with 302 deaths.

  - In 2019, Fulani extremist attacks caused 325 deaths, a decrease from 1,158 in 2018, but Nigeria remains one of the highest terrorism threat zones globally.

  - Between 2010 and 2016, herder-farmer conflicts across West Africa caused 3,068 deaths, with Nigeria bearing the brunt.

  - A 2024 report from TruthNigeria claimed that Fulani militias have killed thousands in Benue State alone, with over 1 million Christians displaced and hundreds kidnapped.[](https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/fulani-militias-capture-80-percent-of-nigerian-benue-state)

Specific Incidents:

  January 2024, Mangu, Plateau State: Suspected Fulani herders killed at least 30 people, burning schools, churches, and houses in Kwahaslalek village.

  April 2025, Plateau State: Reprisal attacks by rival herders killed at least 52 people and displaced over 2,000.

  February 2016, Agatu, Benue State: Over 300 Idoma Christians were reportedly massacred, with retaliatory attacks killing 20 Fulani herders and 83 cows.

  June 2018, Plateau State: Over 200 people were killed in clashes, with 50 houses burnt in a single attack.

  June 2022, Owo, Ondo State: A church attack attributed to Fulani herders was described as a reprisal against anti-grazing policies, though evidence is debated.

Displacement and Destruction:

  - The conflicts have displaced over 1 million people in Benue State alone, creating 13 internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

  - Over 500 churches in Benue State have been destroyed since 2011, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria.

  - The violence has disrupted agriculture in Nigeria’s "breadbasket" region, contributing to food insecurity and economic decline.

Socio-Economic Impact:

  - The insecurity has deterred foreign and local investment, reduced agricultural productivity, and lowered quality of life in affected areas. The perception of Nigeria as an unstable environment has impacted foreign direct investment (FDI).

  - Communities live in fear, with farmers unable to work their fields and herders facing attacks on their livestock.

Controversies and Narratives

The "Fulani menace" is a highly polarizing issue, with competing narratives shaping public perception:

1.Religious Persecution Narrative:

   - Some Christian organizations and local leaders frame the violence as a genocide against Christians, perpetrated by Fulani jihadists. Genocide Watch classifies the conflict as reaching stages of "extermination" and "denial" in its genocide model.

   - Reports of attackers shouting "Allahu Akbar" or targeting churches fuel this narrative. However, the framing risks oversimplifying the conflict and ignoring attacks on Muslim farmers or peaceful Fulani communities.

2. Farmer-Herder Conflict Narrative:

   - Many academics and international organizations, such as the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), emphasize the economic and environmental roots of the conflict, describing it as a resource-based dispute exacerbated by climate change. This view acknowledges the vulnerability of both farmers and Fulani herders.

   - Critics argue this narrative downplays the religious and ethnic dimensions, potentially ignoring the severity of targeted attacks on Christian communities

4. Stigmatization of Fulani:

   - The Fulani face widespread stigmatization, with entire communities blamed for the actions of a minority of militias. This has led to discrimination, attacks on peaceful Fulani, and their exclusion from land rights

  

Critical Analysis

The term "Fulani menace" is problematic as it generalizes an entire ethnic group, ignoring the diversity within Fulani communities and the fact that many Fulani are victims of violence themselves. The conflict is not a monolithic "Fulani problem" but a multifaceted crisis involving:

Economic Roots: At its core, the conflict is about competition for scarce resources, intensified by environmental degradation and population pressures. Both herders and farmers act out of survival needs, but the lack of effective mediation escalates disputes into violence.

Governance Failures: The Nigerian government’s inability to enforce security, mediate disputes, or address root causes like land reform has allowed the conflict to fester. Policies like grazing bans or proposed grazing reserves have been poorly implemented or politicized.

External Influences: The involvement of extremist groups like Boko Haram or foreign Fulani fighters is possible but not well-substantiated. Claims of jihadist infiltration often rely on anecdotal reports rather than concrete evidence.

Media and Narrative Bias: Sensationalized reporting and social media amplify ethnic and religious tensions, with terms like "Fulani menace" contributing to stigmatization. Balanced reporting, as advocated by some academics, is needed to avoid fueling Islamophobia or anti-nomadism.

Recent Developments (2024–2025)

Recent reports indicate that the violence remains a significant issue:

October 2024, Benue State: Catholic priests reported that Fulani militias control 80% of local governance areas in Benue, with over 1 million displaced and thousands killed. They described the situation as a "genocide" driven by land-grabbing rather than grazing disputes.[](https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/fulani-militias-capture-80-percent-of-nigerian-benue-state)

January 2025, Sahel Region: TruthNigeria reported intensified attacks linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, with Fulani militias implicated in some sectarian massacres in Benue.[](https://www.genocidewatch.com/home/categories/issues/boko-haram-26-fulani-jihadists)

April 2025, Plateau State: Reprisal attacks resulted in 52 deaths and 2,000 displacements, highlighting the ongoing cycle of violence.

Here is a clip of record made from a recent attack in Edikwu Ankpali in Apa Local government of Benue state, where Fulani killed a man, made away with his cell Phone, recieved a phone call from the owners friends and confidently told the man he has killed him with his Ak 47 riffle.