Herdsmen Invasion: A Threat To Food And State Security In Nigeria

The connection between state security, herdsmen invasion and food security is dynamic and has become a thorny issue in the preservation of the corporate existence of Nigerian state. The friction between herdsmen, ethnic groups and socio-economic relationship has generated an obvious animosity, prejudices and violent conflict. Perceived conflict between farmers and herdsmen has in many times worsened the state security scenario that directly hampered food security. This paper examines the incidence of herdsmen invasion and its implication on food and state security in Nigeria putting into consideration the states that are vulnerable to the incessant attack. This investigation was largely anchored on the structural functional theory to further explain the phenomenon of herdsmen and farmers conflict owing to the fact that the society is structured with interrelated parts designed to meet social needs of every individual, thus farmers provide food for the sustenance of state and herdsmen equally served as a potential provider of food supplement (Meat). To compliment the effort of farmers, government with its policy act as a moderator to ensure that violence and friction, which can escalate to pose a threat to the security of the state, is curtailed. The paper suggests ways to ameliorate the incidence of the activities of herdsmen, which threatened food and state security.