CLIMATE CHANGE AND CONFLICT BETWEEN THE HERDSMEN AND FARMERS IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

This study examines the conflict between the herdsmen and the farmers in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria as a result of climate change that affects their livelihood. This paper adopted the Neo-Malthusian approach to environmental conflict propounded by Thomas Homer Dixon. This paper revealed that desertification, drought and insecurity forced the headers to migrate to the Niger Delta region so that their cattle’s can be fed. The pastoralists and their cattle’s destroyed the crops of the farmers in the region and all attempt to stop them resulted to violent conflicts. The Fulani herdsmen that are well-armed, opened fire on the innocent farmers and killed them, while some of them were kidnapped and raped. It was also revealed that the herdsmen are not ready for any form of negotiation, since they are all out to dominate and control any environment they get to, so that they can effectively carry out their occupation. The competition over the available natural resources is responsible for the conflict and threat between the herders and the farmers. However, climate change has also affected the Niger Delta because their only source of water contained high level of benzene, and they are also faced with the threat of coastal erosion. It was therefore, recommended that the herders coming to the Niger Delta should be registered, and be assigned to a particular zone to feed their cattle’s.