Farmer -Herdsmen Conflicts In The South East Of Nigeria: Implications For National Development.

Abstract

This paper explores the multi-faceted and growing farmer-herdsmen conflicts in South East Nigeria, focusing on their causes, socio-economic effects as well as significant implications for national development. Through both an expository and analytical research methods, this paper "unpacks" the plurivocal drivers behind these conflicts: environmental degradation; resource scarcity; population dynamics, governance deficits. It also explores the catastrophic repercussions on food security, human safety, economic stability, and social cohesion in those communities. Recent empirical work and theoretical approaches like Eco-Violent Theory and the Human Security Framework inform this research in demonstrating why these localized tensions aggravate ethnic and religious frictions — undermining people’s security and overall national security whilst endangering Nigeria’s strides towards sustainable development. The results emphasize the immediate conflict drivers and long-term systems that require additional intervention. It also offers practical recommendations for policy-makers and community leaders, the public and private sectors to support peacebuilding initiatives, resource management and inclusive development as panacea to the lingering conflicts both in the South East and other parts of Nigeria.