Violence related to cattle grazing in Nigeria is considered deadlier than insurgency of militant group Boko Haram.
An international think tank, International Crisis Group revealed on Thursday that clashes between local farmers in Nigeria and nomadic cattle herders has killed more than Boko Haram militants.
The group says grazing related violence has killed six times more people than deaths related to the Boko Haram insurgency.
These figures cover on the first half of 2018, something the group says poses a major threat Nigeria’s stability.
It says the violence has killed more than 1,300 people between January and June this year.
The group said in its report that “the conflict poses a grave threat to the country’s stability and unity, and it could affect the 2019 general elections”.
The think-tank said says the razing related violence is concentrated in central states and largely driven by competition over dwindling arable land.
The Nigerian government according to the group has “taken welcome but insufficient steps to halt the killings”.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to ensure improved security in Africa’s most populous nation.
His government promised to derail the activities of Boko Haram since assuming office but progress has been slow.
But the violence over cattle grazing appears to be the most difficult one for the government to handle.
Just last month 86 people were killed in a major attack on some villages in Nigeria’s Plateau state.
11 villages were affected by the attack carried out by Fulani herdsmen. Over 50 houses were also torched.
President Buhari has come under a lot of pressure forcing him to tour some areas hit by such clashes.
Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes due to these clashes.
Source: Africafeeds.com
