Experts Link Land Issues to Insecurity in Northern Nigeria

Experts at a stakeholder meeting held at Jamil Hotel in Azar Katagum, Bauchi State, unveiled research linking land expropriation and environmental degradation to rising insecurity in Northern Nigeria. The study, conducted by Dr. Adam Higazi, identified land dispossession by politicians and agribusiness companies as a major driver of conflict affecting farmers and herders in rural areas.

The research highlighted that the acquisition of land has led to deforestation, encroachment on grazing reserves, and loss of farmland, particularly impacting the pastoralist community, especially the Fulani. As a result, herders are increasingly losing access to grazing land in Bauchi State.

Recommendations included banning illegal tree felling, restoring forests and grazing reserves, and reforming land use acts to protect the rights of smallholder farmers and pastoralists. Abdullahi Umar Eggi emphasized the need for coordinated government action to address deforestation and restore livelihoods, while Alhaji Muhammad Jauro Gari called for urgent steps to tackle the challenges faced by pastoralists.