IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/lauspo/v83y2019icp532-542.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Inter-communal land conflicts in Benin City, Nigeria: Exploring the root causes in the context of customary land supply

Author

Listed:
  • Agheyisi, Justin Eduviere

Abstract

Inter-communal land conflict in Benin City has increased owing to informal land subdivision by land owning communities. As development intensifies, boundaries between communities in peri-urban areas become distorted leading to contestations and violent conflicts. However, little is known about the roles of organized groups in these conflicts. The legal pluralism in land ownership in Nigeria and the ineffectiveness of the State’s Land Law have created informal land market in which leaders of land owning communities dominate. This paper explores these issues through a case study of boundary dispute that developed into violent conflict between two communities in Benin City. The findings revealed that at the root of the conflict were material and emotional needs of groups seeking power and wealth which resulted in diverse claims. Other endogenous factors underlying the conflict were the socio-cultural environment of urban land market and local power relations among the actors involved.

Suggested Citation

  • Agheyisi, Justin Eduviere, 2019. "Inter-communal land conflicts in Benin City, Nigeria: Exploring the root causes in the context of customary land supply," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 532-542.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:83:y:2019:i:c:p:532-542
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.02.027
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837718311700
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.02.027?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jo Beall & Tom Goodfellow & Dennis Rodgers, 2013. "Cities and Conflict in Fragile States in the Developing World," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(15), pages 3065-3083, November.
    2. Deininger, Klaus & Castagnini, Raffaella, 2006. "Incidence and impact of land conflict in Uganda," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 321-345, July.
    3. Foxon, Timothy J., 2013. "Transition pathways for a UK low carbon electricity future," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 10-24.
    4. Ayse Pamuk, 2000. "Informal Institutional Arrangements in Credit, Land Markets and Infrastructure Delivery in Trinidad," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 379-396, June.
    5. Moser, Caroline O.N. & McIlwaine, Cathy, 2006. "Latin American Urban Violence as a Development Concern: Towards a Framework for Violence Reduction," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 89-112, January.
    6. Van Leeuwen, Mathijs & Van Der Haar, Gemma, 2016. "Theorizing the Land–Violent Conflict Nexus," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 94-104.
    7. Frances Cleaver, 2007. "Understanding Agency in Collective Action," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(2), pages 223-244.
    8. Ayse Pamuk, 2000. "Informal Institutional Arrangements in Credit, Land Markets and Infrastructure Delivery in Trinidad," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(2), pages 379-496, June.
    9. Agboola, Alirat Olayinka & Scofield, David & Amidu, Abdul-Rasheed, 2017. "Understanding property market operations from a dual institutional perspective: The case of Lagos, Nigeria," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 89-96.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Onyebueke, Victor & Walker, Julian & Lipietz, Barbara & Ujah, Oliver & Ibezim-Ohaeri, Victoria, 2020. "Urbanisation-induced displacements in peri-urban areas: Clashes between customary tenure and statutory practices in Ugbo-Okonkwo Community in Enugu, Nigeria," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    2. João Carrilho & Jorge Trindade, 2022. "Sustainability in Peri-Urban Informal Settlements: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-35, June.
    3. Geyer, H.S., 2023. "Conflicts and synergies between customary land use management and urban planning in informal settlements," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    4. Ibrahim, Abdul-Salam & Abubakari, Mohammed & Akanbang, Bernard A.A. & Kepe, Thembela, 2022. "Resolving land conflicts through Alternative Dispute Resolution: Exploring the motivations and challenges in Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    5. Edeh, Hyacinth O. & Mavrotas, George & Balana, Bedru B., 2022. "Land tenure security and preferences to dispute resolution pathways among landholders in Nigeria," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Melanie Lombard & Carole Rakodi, 2016. "Urban land conflict in the Global South: Towards an analytical framework," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(13), pages 2683-2699, October.
    2. Haris Gazdar & Hussain Bux Mallah, 2013. "Informality and Political Violence in Karachi," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(15), pages 3099-3115, November.
    3. Louis-Alexandre Berg & Marlon Carranza, 2018. "Organized criminal violence and territorial control," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 55(5), pages 566-581, September.
    4. Petr Vymětal & Milan Žák, 2005. "Instituce a výkonnost [Institutions and performance]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2005(4), pages 545-566.
    5. Manya M. Mooya & Chris E. Cloete, 2007. "Informal Urban Property Markets and Poverty Alleviation: A Conceptual Framework," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 44(1), pages 147-165, January.
    6. Onuorah Hyacinth, Edeh & Mavrotas, George, 2018. "Examining perceived land tenure security and dispute resolution pathway preferences among landholders: Implications for land governance reforms in Nigeria," 92nd Annual Conference, April 16-18, 2018, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 273500, Agricultural Economics Society.
    7. Olokoyo, Felicia O. & George, Tayo O. & Efobi, Uchenna & Beecroft, Ibukun, 2014. "Land Deals, Household Attributes and Quality of Life: The Untold Story from a Rural Community in Nigeria," Conference papers 332458, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    8. Fergus Lyon, 2003. "Trader associations and urban food systems in Ghana: institutionalist approaches to understanding urban collective action," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(1), pages 11-23, March.
    9. Lin, Wanlin & Lin, George C.S., 2023. "Strategizing actors and agents in the functioning of informal property Rights: The tragicomedy of the extralegal housing market in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    10. Mona Fawaz, 2008. "An Unusual Clique of City‐Makers: Social Networks in the Production of a Neighborhood in Beirut (1950–75)," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(3), pages 565-585, September.
    11. Jean‐Louis Van Gelder, 2009. "Legal Tenure Security, Perceived Tenure Security and Housing Improvement in Buenos Aires: An Attempt towards Integration," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(1), pages 126-146, March.
    12. Fuxiu Jiang & Xiaojia Zheng & Wei Tang, 2018. "Non-family chair and corporate performance," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-30, December.
    13. Megan K Blake & Susan Hanson, 2005. "Rethinking Innovation: Context and Gender," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(4), pages 681-701, April.
    14. Gregorio Giménez Esteban, 2007. "Violence and Growth in Latin America," Economic Analysis Working Papers (2002-2010). Atlantic Review of Economics (2011-2016), Colexio de Economistas de A Coruña, Spain and Fundación Una Galicia Moderna, vol. 6, pages 1-34, July.
    15. Leakey, Roger & Kranjac-Berisavljevic, Gordana & Caron, Patrick & Craufurd, Peter & Martin, Adrienne M. & McDonald, Andy & Abedini, Walter & Afiff, Suraya & Bakurin, Ndey & Bass, Steve & Hilbeck, Ange, 2009. "Impacts of AKST on development and sustainability goals," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    16. Ali, Daniel Ayalew & Deininger, Klaus & Goldstein, Markus, 2014. "Environmental and gender impacts of land tenure regularization in Africa: Pilot evidence from Rwanda," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 262-275.
    17. Habibullah Magsi & Andre Torr & Yansui Liu & M. Javed Sheikh, 2017. "Land Use Conflicts in the Developing Countries: Proximate Driving Forces and Preventive Measures," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 56(1), pages 19-30.
    18. Sungho Son & Nam-Wook Cho, 2020. "Technology Fusion Characteristics in the Solar Photovoltaic Industry of South Korea: A Patent Network Analysis Using IPC Co-Occurrence," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-19, October.
    19. Griewald, Yuliana & Rauschmayer, Felix, 2013. "Exploring a nature-related conflict from a capability perspective," UFZ Discussion Papers 7/2013, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    20. Ghebru, Hosaena, 2015. "Is There a Merit to the Continuum Tenure Approach? A Case of Demand for Land Rights Formulation in Rural Mozambique," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211683, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:83:y:2019:i:c:p:532-542. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joice Jiang (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/land-use-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.