An Analysis of the Nomadic Fulani Herdsmen’s Violent Attacks in Southeastern Nigeria, and Their Effects on Adolescents

The aim of the study was to analyze the negative effects of the violent attacks by the nomadic Fulani herdsmen in Southeastern Nigeria, with a focus on adolescents living in the region. Data were collected with a questionnaire administered to secondary schools. Two-hundred and fifty adolescents (170 girls, 80 boys; 15–17 years of age) completed a questionnaire pertaining of both single items and seven scales measuring PTSD, physical punishment, domestic violence, parental negativity, anti-social behavior, poverty and war experiences. Girls scored significantly higher than boys on symptoms of PTSD. Of the 250 adolescents, 20.8% had lost someone close to them during the war, and 8.4% had themselves been injured. Nine percent had themselves injured someone during the war, and 5.2% had actually killed someone during the war. Three (1.8%) had been raped by an armed group, and two (1.2%) had been taken as a sex slave. The results indicate that the Fulani herdsmen attacks had a strongly negative impact on the adolescents which are likely to affect them throughout the rest of their lives.