International Journal of Sub-Saharan African Research (IJSSAR)

Background: The conflict between Farmers and herdsmen has been on for years, the Nigeria database has recorded 615 violent deaths related to cattle grazing, out of a total of 61,314 violent fatalities in Nigeria (2014). In an explorative study of relevant cases reported by the press across the 36 states from 2006 to May 2014. He was able to establish the frequency, intensity and the pattern of such conflict across Nigeria. This study examined the framing of herdsmen and farmers’ crisis in South-West Nigeria newspapers.
Objective: The objectives were to content analyse: the prominence accorded to the coverage of the herdsmen and farmers crisis in the selected newspapers; the sources of news in reporting the crisis; the extent to which Nigerian newspapers engaged in investigative journalism in coverage of the crises; the language used in the stories, and assess the framing patterns adopted by the selected newspapers. Framing and gate-keeping theories served as the theoretical framework.
Method: The study adopted the descriptive research design; it utilised quantitative and qualitative data generated through content analysis method and key informant interview. A coding guide and an interview guide were used as research instruments. Three national newspapers including the Punch Newspaper, Nigerian Tribune and Daily Trust Newspaper were purposively selected from January, 2020 to December, 2021.
Result: This study established that reports on herdsmen-farmers’ conflicts are still largely framed in ethnic slants and such frames do not support peace and conflict-sensitive journalism. Based on the findings
Conclusion: this study concludes that Journalists need to always cover both sides of the farmers-herders’ conflict to ensure fairness while newspaper owners and stakeholders in the newspaper industry should intensify training programmes for journalists on conflict reporting.
Unique Contribution: Previous studies had generally examined media framing of herdsmen-farmers’ conflict in Nigeria but this study focused on the period the conflict was tense in the South-West sub-region. The study also established that reports on herdsmen-farmers’ conflicts are still largely framed in ethnic slants and such frames do not support peace and conflict-sensitive journalism.
Key Recommendation: fairness in journalistic reportage that cover both sides of the farmers-herders’ conflict; to promote peace and conflict-sensitive journalism, journalists should desist from ethnic profiling of herdsmen in their reports. Newspaper owners and stakeholders in the newspaper industry should intensify training programmes for journalists on peace and conflict-sensitive journalism.