Selected Newspapers Coverage of Herdsmen and Farmers Clashes in Nigeria in 2024

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14712414

Keywords:

Newspapers, Coverage, Herders-Farmers, Clashes, Nigeria

Abstract

Violent spates of the longstanding conflict between herders and farmers in Nigeria have become amplified and persistent in recent times and these have naturally elicited media focus. The media, ordinarily, are a major player during periods of conflict as they can influence the direction of a conflict situation and the public's understanding and interpretation of conflict issues. Using the content analysis research method, this study examined coverage patterns of the herders-farmers conflict by four Nigerian national newspapers (The Punch, The Tribune, The Nation and Vanguard) between 23rd January 2024 and 23rd April 2024. The newspapers indicated herders as the principal perpetrators of violence, framing the herders-farmers conflict as criminal attacks by herders on farming communities. The newspapers in their publications were mainly critical of the Nigerian government's level of intervention in the herders-farmers conflict. Findings from the study showed that prominence was given to farmers-herders clashes by the selected Nigerian Newspapers. It was recommended among others that media organisations in Nigeria should invest more in the regular training of journalists in the area of conflict reporting, with emphasis on conflict-sensitive reporting and peace journalism.

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Published

2025-01-22

How to Cite

Topic Peremobowei Akoje, PhD, & Oluwaseyi Folarin Victor, PhD. (2025). Selected Newspapers Coverage of Herdsmen and Farmers Clashes in Nigeria in 2024. GVU Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 9(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14712414