Farmer-Herder Crises, Uncivil Discourses and the Politics of Nigeria’s Security Responses

Abstract Studies on farmer-herder conflicts using the Critical Discourse Approach often focus on media portrayals of the conflict. However, the interplay between discursive constructions by primordial or ethnic associations, their dissemination through the media, and their potential effects on the conflict remain underexplored. Therefore, this paper examines the potential effects of the primordially driven discourses on farmer-herder crises in Nigeria. Discourses from civil society on farmer-herder violence in Nigeria hold the potential for two key outcomes: the escalation of the conflict and the creation of doubts about the state’s capacity and impartiality in addressing the violence, leading to calls for restructuring the security architecture to include non-formal security options. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis, the paper examines statements from major ethnic associations across 30 Nigerian online news articles, assessing their role in shaping public perceptions of violence and influencing civil society advocacy for alternative security mechanisms. This paper demonstrates how these narratives can intensify tensions, undermine trust in state security institutions, and, in addition, enable the prioritisation of ethnic biases over constructive dialogue, posing challenges to resolving these violent conflicts. The findings highlight the importance of fostering inclusive and neutral discourse to promote civility and mitigate the worsening of farmer-herder violence.