Intensification of violence in Nigeria – terrorism or the fight for natural resources? Controversies related to the conflict between nomadic and settled communities

Abstract

In recent years, herdsmen from the Fulani ethnic group have carried out numerous acts of violence. In 2016, the number of Fulani related deaths exceeded the number killed by Boko Haram (and yet this organization in 2000–2015 was the second most lethal of all terrorist groups). However, the categorization of these deeds is problematic. The activity of the part of the Fulani population commonly referred to in the mass media as the Fulani Militants is related to the limited natural resources. In literature, this type of activity is called eco-violence. The visible combat attitude of Fulani fighters is related to their collective worldview. For the average representative of the Fulani group, shepherding is a way of life that is treated as a common heritage. The interference of farmers in the space needed by the Fulani to survive is tantamount to a call to war for this population. This explains the magnitude of aggression and violence that some of the representatives of this group often manifest in their disputes with farming communities. The available data shows that the activity of Fulani fighters has grown in recent years. In 2016, the death toll of Fulani Militants exceeded the number killed by Boko Haram (and this organization in 2000-2015 was the second most lethal of all terrorist groups). The main aim of the article is to investigate the nature, causes, dynamics and consequences of the conflict between the shepherds and the farmers in Nigeria. The main research hypothesis is the assumption that a growing wave of attacks carried out by Fulani Militants in Nigeria is a phenomenon that is mainly driven by the fight for survival in an environment with limited natural resources.