CLIMATE CHANGE AND COMMUNAL CONFLICTS: A STUDY ON GURARA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGER STATE-NIGERIA

Abstract More than ever before, the effects of climate change manifest more practically on society. One of the consequences is communal (violent) conflicts. It thus becomes cogent to investigate the effects of climate change on communal clashes in Gurara Local Government Area, of Niger State . Objectives of the study are: to identify the types of communal conflict in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State; to determine the effect of climate change on communal conflict in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State; and to analyze measures that must be taken to mitigate the effects environmental change on communal conflict in the study area. Survey research design was used, while instrument for data collection was questionnaire. The study sampled 531 residents of Gurara local government council of Niger State. It was found that there is a correlation between climate change and communal conflict in the study area. Also, the study found the major types of communal conflicts in Gurara Local Government to include farmers and herders’ clashes, Indigene/ Settler Issues, land and Socio - Cultural disputes . Similarly, effect of climate change in the study area were found to include food security challenges, outbreak of diseases and other crops and animal diseases, irregular migration and internal displacement and ultimately disruption to socio - economic activities. Measures that can be taken to manage conflict in Gurara LGA of Niger state include alternative conflict resolution strategies and the need for governments to address the effect of climate change. Conclusively, climate change has had significant impact on communal conflict in Gurara LGA that has exacerbated farmers and herders’ conflict, indigene/settler rife. It has also resulted into severe land and other sociocultural disputes. It was recommended that Government at all levels should make concerted efforts to fight banditry and insecurity in order to mitigate the increasing farmers-herders conflict in Niger State The study recommends among others t hat government should engage in kinetic and non - kinetic conflict resolution frameworks to mitigate the increasing farmers - herders conflict in Niger State, Nigeria. It was also recommended that enlightenment programmes on climate change programmes should be carried out. Key words: Climate Change, Communal Conflict, Gurara LGA, Food Security, Migration