Mwaghavul Arable Farmers – Fulani Herdsmen Conflict and Socio-economic Development in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State

Abstract

Arable farmers and the Fulani herdsmen conflict is a societal malaise that is bedeviling most societies in Nigeria. The scenes were more prevalence in the North-central geo-political zone of the country. In Plateau State, the incidence cut across different local government areas in the state. This study therefore examined the conflict between the Mwaghavul Arable farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. The study adopted a mixed method research design. Data were elicited from documentary facts  The main instruments for data collection were questionnaire, in-depth interview and observation; they were subjected to face and content validation. Focus group discussion and in-depth tinterview were used to corroborate the quantitative analysis. We used Pearson  chisquare and ANOVA to test the hypotheses of the study at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that the conflict was  triggered by the damages of crops of the Mwaghavul arable farmers by the herds of the Fulani herdsmen. The study also found the  conflict has adverse on socio-economic development (schools, businesses, mutual trust, agricultural production, etc.). Based on the  findings, study recommends the need to modernize herding system in Nigeria, need for civic education, moral probity, among others