Interrogating church-state peace approach to herdsmen-farmers’ conflict in Benue State, Nigeria (2015-2018)

Land and the resources therein have been among the prominent issues of conflicts globally. The crisis in the Upper Volta region and desertification compelled the southward relocation of herdsmen to Nigeria and Middle Belt in particular. The unholy competition for grazing land between nomadic herdsmen and the host communities coupled with poor governance occasioned persistent violence resulting in over 2000 death in Nigeria and over 170,000 internally displaced (2013 – 2016) in Benue State. This study therefore evaluated the efforts of the governments in resolving the violence and the propensity of church-state approach in evolving a lasting solution. Descriptive research design was adopted with qualitative approach. The data sources included relevant books, journal and Internet. The study found that no proactive measure was evolved to checkmate climate change and while weak regulatory system and porous border post encouraged free movement of herdsmen without respect for local laws. The governments lacked political will to comfort the issue of violence. The proposal for Cattle Colony and Ruga were poorly conceived while over politicization of the issues of conflict along ethnic and religious lines could not make church-state approach visible. The study concluded that inability of governments to modernize animal rearing and concerted efforts to address climate change have been the bane of the violence while loose security network has been a serious challenge. It recommended modernization of animal rearing, effective security coverage of Benue State and others and trial of culprits to serve as deterrence to other criminals. In addition, security issue should not be politicized so that alternate dispute resolution mechanisms like church state approach could be adopted.