Analysis on Some Causes and Consequences of North-South Migration of Fulani Pastoralists in Nigeria

Abstract

The Nigerian state is witnessing the creep of Fulani pastoral migration from the North to the Southern part of Nigeria in search for better vegetation and palatable grasses to meet-up with their herd's pastoral needs. Paradoxically, this migratory trend was also necessitated by the increasing deficit of renewable resources in the northern region due to vulnerability to climate change related issues and general insecurity that is bedeviling the region in recent times. Critical to this migration is the continued sedentarization the Fulani pastoralists in the south which brings them into close contact with arable farmers and subsequent clashes that ensured between the new arriving Fulani pastoralists and the native in many parts of the southern states of Nigeria. However, the focus of this paper is to provide some analyses on the causes and consequences of North-south migration of Fulani pastoralists in Nigeria. In doing so the paper utilizes content analysis of the existing related literatures and unstructured focus group discussion with some group of arable farmers in the south and the migrant Fulani pastoralists. The paper argued that among the major causes of north-south migration of pastoralists is the glaring environmental complexities arising from desertification and acute water shortage, cattle rustling and general insecurity as well as the ‘Boko Haram' insurgency has been the major catalyst exacerbating Fulani migration to the south with consequence of violent clashes in many parts of the southern communities. The paper concludes that in the absence of effective and efficient mechanisms that can mitigate the impact of climate related problems and general insecurity, Fulani pastoralists will obviously indulge in migration as a strategy for avoiding threats to their source of livelihood and survival.