Impact of Herders-Crop Farmers Conflicts on Educational Development in Benue State, Nigeria
Robert O. Odaudu1 and Jonah O. Ogbaji2
1Department of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Faculty of Social Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria Abuja
Email: odaudurobert@gmail.com Tel: +2348065304708
2Institute of Political Administration and Management (University of Nigeria Nsukka Makurdi Center)
Email: djoeogbaji@gmail.com Tel: +2348032088455
ABSTRACT
Nigeria has continued to experience persistent herders-crop farmers conflicts arising from competition over land, destruction of farmlands, cattle grazing, population growth, climate change, and weak conflict management mechanisms, resulting in widespread insecurity, displacement, loss of lives and property, disruption of livelihoods, and socio-economic instability across many rural communities. Benue State has remained one of the worst affected states, making it necessary to examine how the recurring conflicts influence educational development. This study investigated the impact of herders-crop farmers conflicts on educational development in Benue State. The study adopted the Eco-Violence Theory because it explains that competition over scarce environmental resources such as land and water often triggers violent conflicts that undermine community development. The data for this study were generated from primary and secondary sources. Findings from the investigation shows that frequent outbreaks of violence and insecurity in the state arising from Farmer-Herder have led to the closure of schools for extended periods. This disrupts the continuity of learning, leading to academic regression among students. The key policy that has been set by the Benue state government to mitigate pastoralist-crop farmer conflict is ‘anti-grazing law’ and ‘Livestock Special Task Force’ which as explained has not been effective in ending the conflict on the sustainable level because the law only targets an aspect of the livestock sector, security against herdsmen attacks. The study recommended among other things that the main responsibility of any government is to protect lives and properties of her citizens. Therefore, the Federal government should rise up to its responsibility by providing enough security in all the affected areas and Federal government of Nigeria, state, local governments, individual and non-governmental organisations should collaborate and embark on reconstruction, building of schools, hospital, homes and other infrastructures damaged in the study areas. This will encourage the people to send their children back to school.
Keywords: Herders-Crop Farmers, Conflicts, Infrastructural Facilities, School-enrolment, Educational Development
CITE AS: Robert O. Odaudu and Jonah O. Ogbaji (2026). Impact of Herders-Crop Farmers Conflicts on Educational Development in Benue State, Nigeria. NEWPORT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CURRENT RESEARCH IN HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES, 6(2):1-11. https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJCRHSS/2026/62.111