Benue State University, Makurdi

An Assessment of Open-Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law (2017) on Determent of Farmer-Herder Conflict in Benue State

Comfort Erima UGBEM-ONAH and Chinta TAHAV

Abstract

The study examined the Open-Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 on the determent of herders attacks in Benue State. Specifically, it assessed the effectiveness of the law, factors affecting the efficacy of the law. Marxist Political Economy theory was used in the study. The study adopted the survey research method, administering questionnaire to 376 respondents within the communities that have witnessed intense attacks by the herders. Analysis was based on frequencies and simple percentages. The major findings of the study were that, the law was not effective enough to prevent the herders’ attacks in Benue state. Beside there was inadequate support from the Federal Government to enhance effective implementation of the law as well as political factors, where some citizens prefer to protect their political interest rather than the interest of the Benue people in general. It was observed that self-interest (in economic, religious or ethnic ties) has prevented many government functionaries from taking proactive measures to end the attacks. Therefore, there is need for value reorientation among the leaders in order to consider the interest of the masses too. Federal Government must be fair to all citizens (no matter their ethnic identity or religious inclinations) in addressing farmer/pastoralist clashes in order to prove that the country remains secular and to preserve Nigeria’s unity in spite of the diversity of her people.

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