“If you kill me, you take the cow”: victimization experiences of farming and herding communities in Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research
ISSN: 1759-6599
Article publication date: 18 October 2019
Issue publication date: 1 November 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the victimization experiences of farming and herding communities in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed purposive sampling, extracting data from 27 victims in Lafia and Obi local government areas. Data were collected using in-depth and key informant interviews. In a balance of tales, both farming and herding communities claimed victimhood status.
Findings
While farming communities suffered internal displacement resulting from destruction of farmland, forceful takeover of own community, destruction of livelihoods and human fatalities; herding community victimization manifested in destruction of livelihood (killing of cows), cattle rustling and human fatalities. Arising from the findings, the authors suggest proactive policing and victim compensation to reduce the incidence and severity of victimization.
Originality/value
The study is unique as it probed into the neglected domain of victimization experiences of farming and herding communities.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Dr Oluwatosin Adeniyi for providing editorial assistance for the paper. The authors are also grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their fantastic contributions which have improved the quality of this paper.
Citation
Tade, O. and Yikwabs, Y.P. (2019), "“If you kill me, you take the cow”: victimization experiences of farming and herding communities in Nasarawa State, Nigeria", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 11 No. 4, pp. 273-280. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-06-2019-0417
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited