INTRODUCTION

Farmer’s clashes among Fulani herdsmen and host communities often result as when grazing cattle are not properly controlled and consequently graze on cultivated plants like melon, okora, beans, cassava, maize to mention but few etc. in farmlands of host communities. Efforts farmers to register their objection of destruction of their livelihood (food crops and cash crops) by the cattle of Fulani herdsmen are always stoutly resisted thereby degenerating into clashes. Host communities sometimes register their grievances by placing restrictions on movement and gracing of cattle in designated areas and enforcing compliance through coercive measures decreed by the host community vigilante which may take the shape of killing stray cattle or arresting and prosecution defaulters.

Fulani herdsmen and farmers crisis no doubt have negative impact on the lives, property, food security and educational development in Nigeria. Though, there is the dearth of quantitative evaluation of the catastrophic attacks, available statistics has it that between June 2015 to December, 2016 Human Rights Watch in 2017, reported a total death toll of 65 persons in more than 24 attacks. It was also reported that an estimate of 50 people were killed in Nasarawa Egor (Nasarawa State) and Agatu/Logo (Benue State) in the June 2016 and recently lives were claimed in Abraka in the April 23 rd 2017 crisis between Fulani herdsmen and farmers. Fulani herdsmen attack apart from the loss of lives has also led to the destruction of arable farmland and valuable properties worth several billions of naira.