The Menace of Insecurity by Herdsmen Attack and its Implication on Tourism in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of this research is to assess the effects of herdsmen menace on tourism. Secondary data about insecurity caused by herdsmen attack were collected from news media using Google search and were subjected to descriptive statistics. The classical theory of structural functionalism and Marxian theory of historical materialism were used to explain and predict the implications of herdsmen attack on tourism. Findings of the study identified farmland destruction, attack on villages, murder of victims, kidnap and clash with farmers, injuries, rape, stealing of farm produce, robbery, and terrorism as menaces perpetrated by the herdsmen. The dysfunctional part of Nigerian societal structure which the theories used in this study identified that the contradiction between Nigerian economy and social control which was unstable leads to insurgency, and could affect the participation of Nigerian citizens and foreigners in tourism. Safety and security concerns for international and local travelers occasioned by terrorist attacks on highways in southwest Nigeria could make tourism destinations and businesses suffer from low patronage. Due to issues of insecurities along highways in southwest Nigeria, the future of family tourism, agri-tourism and rural tourism could be affected in capturing heterogeneity and mobility of the family market.