Desertification is Fueling Deadly Clashes in Nigeria
Scarcity of fertile land and violence at the hands of Boko Haram jihadists in the north of Nigeria are driving thousands of people southwards, dividing the country down ethnic and religious lines.
Thousands of people from the roaming Fulani ethnic group are reported to have fled south this year, running up against Christian crop farmers, who accuse the Muslim herdsmen of violence against villagers.
Much of the fighting is understood to stem from conflict over resources such as land and water, which have become increasingly scarce in Africa's most populous nation. Clashes are reported to have intensified over the last few years.
Desertification is increasingly rendering large swathes of fertile land into desert. A report published in the Journal of Ecology and the Natural Environment says that more than 60 percent of the Nigeria's land is affected.
Stephen Hall
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