Climate Change, Resource War and Insecurity in Nigeria: The Role of Muslims in Attaining Sustainable Peace

Abstract

The volatile political climate in Nigeria due to violent clashes between cattle
breeders and sedentary agriculturalists across different parts of the country has
affected inter-groups relations in Nigeria. The paper examines the ravaging climate
change as a major factor of eco-resource contestation and adopted the Homer-
Dixon theory of eco-violence which postulated that large populations in
many developing countries are highly dependent on four key environmental
resources that are very fundamental to crop production: fresh water,
cropland, forests and fish. The paper found out that climate change is a risk
factor for insecurity in Nigeria and espoused that strong nexus exists between
climate change and conflicts over resources and that this needs to be properly
explored by all and sundry in order to mitigate the misery associated with the
conflicts which have ravaged almost all states of Nigeria. The paper concludes by
recommending some roles for the Muslims to attain sustainable peace in the
country.