‘Until I go back home, I do not see justice’: Construction of justice among internally displaced farming and herding communities in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT Recurrent violent clashes between pastoral herders and farming communities in Nigeria have resulted in human fatalities, livelihood losses and displacements. However, studies have yet to interrogate how displaced farming communities construct justice as a way to restore peace. Using Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Abegana, Makurdi Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, 25 participants responded to questions on their experiences and how they see justice from their victimhood as a way to peace restoration. I also balanced this with how herders construct justice. Findings show that justice is constructed as returning to their ancestral homeland where they were displaced by conflict; compensation to rebuild burnt houses and restart businesses and implementation of open grazing by government to check recurrence. Herders see anti-open grazing laws as injustice, exclusionary and persecutory rather than see them as victims with human and material losses that need to be protected. This study recommends injecting victims’ perspectives into peace building interventions in conflict zones.