₦airaland Forum

Many Fulani settlers in the southern part of the country are quietly abandoning communities they have lived in for decades over alleged ethnic profiling and rising insecurity, Sunday PUNCH reports.

Findings showed that many Fulani settlers in the South-East and South-West are either fleeing or being forced out of communities they have lived in for years, as host communities accuse them of complicity in terrorism and banditry.

Some of the settlers disclosed that many of them were facing hostility, while their cattle had been stolen, a development that has triggered a gradual migration of herders and cattle breeders to West African countries and other locations perceived as safer.

The development comes amid rising insecurity, including killings and mass abductions, which have fuelled accusations against Fulani communities and herders in some parts of the country.

While many residents in the affected communities continue to express concerns over violent crimes, leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria absolved their members of any criminal acts.

They insisted that ethnic profiling had resulted in the killing, ejection and forced relocation of innocent herders.

The South-West Chairman of MACBAN and Sarkin

Fulani of Abeokuta, Alhaji Muhammad Labar, told Sunday PUNCH that fear had spread among Fulani communities across the region, and confirmed that some pastoralists had relocated, along with their cattle, to neighbouring countries and other areas perceived to be safer.

“Some of our members have already left the South-West. They relocated to places where they believe they will be safer and more comfortable. There is fear within the Fulani community because of the way criminality is increasingly being linked to our people,” Labar said.

He added that MACBAN had intensified sensitisation efforts among its members to prevent panic and promote peaceful coexistence with host communities.

“We keep telling our people to remain calm because we know ourselves. We are peace-loving Nigerians, and we have lived in many of these communities for generations. We contribute significantly to the economy through cattle rearing and the livestock business. We have no interest in anything that can disrupt the peace of the South-West,” Labar stated.

The MACBAN leader stressed that the association had consistently condemned criminality and supported security agencies in apprehending anyone involved in kidnapping, banditry or other crimes.

“We have always maintained that anybody found wanting should face the law. We will never allow the image of the Fulani community to be dragged into criminality. We have been part of the South-West for over 200 years, and we want to continue living peacefully with our hosts,” he added.

Sunday PUNCH also gathered that the herders are facing increasing stigmatisation and hostility, with some allegedly killed or forcibly ejected from their communities.

The Deputy Director General of MACBAN, Gidado Siddiki, who supervises South-East and South-South, said the pastoralists were suffering stigmatisation, hostility and expulsion in some eastern states.

He expressed concern over the safety of pastoralists in Enugu State, where he claimed some of them had been killed, describing the state as the most difficult environment for pastoralists in the South-East.

“Between November 2025 and May 2026, at least 11 pastoralists were reportedly killed in various communities across Uzo-Uwani, Nkanu East, Enugu East and Igbo-Etiti Local Government Areas.

“Among the victims listed by the association were Bello Kabiru, Nasiru Mohammed, Manu Shehu, Altine, Manu Modi, Jibir Haruna, Ibrahim Musa, Ahmadu Musa, Abdullahi Bello, Gayya Shuaibu and Dr Idris,” Siddiki said.

In addition to the human loss, he said more than 40 cattle were reportedly killed during attacks across different communities.

According to him, many of the cases had been reported to security agencies but remained unresolved.

Siddiki also said Fulani settlers in Nkaleha community in Ebonyi State had been forcefully ejected, even after the Department of State Services committed them and leaders of the host communities to a Memorandum of Understanding.

“We are suffering stigmatisation, hatred and ejection in some states. Our people have been ejected from Nkaleha community despite the intervention of the DSS. Presently, we don’t have our people in Nkaleha and Nselu at all,” he said.

In Abia State, Siddiki said there was relative peace in most areas but alleged that pastoralists in Abia North Senatorial District continued to face discrimination and restrictions.

While noting improvements in security in Anambra State, he disclosed that more than 50 pastoralists were killed between 2021 and 2024, with hundreds of cattle either rustled or destroyed during attacks.

The association, however, acknowledged that security initiatives introduced by the state government and security agencies had significantly reduced incidents of violence in recent years.

Despite the improvements, Siddiki stated that two pastoralists were murdered by unidentified assailants in Isiagu community, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, in 2026.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Fulani farmer living in Ifon Orolu, Osun State, decried the deteriorating level of trust between Fulani people living in the state and host communities.

He also said many Fulani people living in Osun were born and raised in the state and should not suddenly become objects of suspicion.

“Many of us were born and raised in Osun. I was born in Ifon some 41 years ago. I don’t think it is normal for people to start seeing me as a criminal because some people from my tribe are engaging in crime.

“I have been a victim of these violent people. My people are from Zamfara State. I visited the state about two years ago and was abducted by bandits. My family paid N7.5m before I was released.

“Since then, I have not visited the state. These criminals do not represent any tribe. We know ourselves, and we monitor our people living in the state. We have their data, and if any new person comes in, we will know.”

“We will continue to support our host communities and the security agencies in ensuring the security of the state. We have been sharing information with security personnel and remain committed to ending the insecurity,” he said.

https://punchng.com/fulani-settlers-abandon-southern-communities-cite-ethnic-profiling/

Christistruth03:
Both of them wanted parts of Yorubaland destroyed
Nnamdi Kanu is definitely not our friend

truthera:
It is because of Nnamdi Kanu and ESN that you've people like Sunday Igboho and groups like Amutekun stopping Fulani from overrunning your region. You should be thanking Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB....

Christistruth03:
He who lives by Propaganda shall kpai by
Propaganda

Kanu and IPOB tried to burn Lagos

Kanu and ipob are definitely not friends of the SW

There are some Audio recordings of Kanu during Endsars that if we play it for you
you will not believe your ears.

Do you know that Kanu also ordered an attack on Badagry starting with the losing of the Security Agents stationed there?

Something the Bandits as bad as they are never contemplated doing

Do you know kanu ordered the destruction of not only Dangote Refinery and Muritala Mohammed Airport but of every single Govt building in Lagos

We have the Audio of the Broadcast!!!!

truthera:
It is because of Nnamdi Kanu and ESN that you've people like Sunday Igboho and groups like Amutekun stopping Fulani from overrunning your region. You should be thanking Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB....

truthera:
Some of those commenting here are not tired of the carnage, you want to pamper fulani terrorists? Have you not learnt any lesson.....?

Do you think their agenda to conquer your people was conceived yesterday? Do you think they will suddenly stop killing and abducting your people? If you like fold your arms, do nothing till they regroup and hit you hard..... For those still sympathetic over this news, don't think their agenda against you will suddenly change, it won't. They will continue to shield terrorists and bandits within their groups, feeding them vital info on how to attack indigenous communities..

truthera:
It is because of Nnamdi Kanu and ESN that you've people like Sunday Igboho and groups like Amutekun stopping Fulani from overrunning your region. You should be thanking Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB....

HacheNoire:
The West is far more educated and enlightened to fall for your propaganda which attached to a criminal currently serving jail term.

The West is against criminals irrespective of their tribe, religion or ethnic group. We have cohabited with peaceful and loving Fulani’s in the West for decades and will be crude of us to attribute crime to them.

Criminals we have a problem with, not Fulani’s!

Predictor3:
And yet fulanis are still attacking imo and Enugu.
Kanu has absolutely nothing to do with whatever is going on in the SW. He is not known in the SW. We've been dealing with fulanis since the 1880s in Yoruba land. They are usual suspects and we'll find our way round them like in the past

truthera:
Try and stop the "criminal" you claim that are among them and see if you won't face resistance from fulanis who you think are not criminal. What happening in the south west and north central are not as isolated as you may presume. What you fail to realize is that fulani do not strike overnight, you may have lived with them for decades, while you slept, they studied you and your region for their eventual conquest. The biggest mistake that you and your people will do is to still deceive yourselves that everything is okay by not driving them away from your forest now that they've played their hands.... It is glaring, once Tinubu leaves power and their brother becomes president, they won't hold back anymore, they will surely deal with you guys....

HacheNoire:
If I go by your logic, we have a tribe selling fake drugs an and drinks in Lagos. Same tribe has a speciality in refurbishing motor parts and selling it as foreign used.

Should we also generalize that the all the people from that tribe are criminals?

Like I said earlier, the west does not have a problem with anyone. Criminals we have a problem with.

Even from within, we have our own criminals, so the idea about castigating one tribe is dead on arrival!

truthera:
Okay convince me that your people can deal with them then accept your submission. Once you succeed in saving the Oyo students and teachers currently held captive in their den without paying any ransom, I will take you seriously....

franchasng:
I still dont understand why it is so difficult for state Governors to acquire surveillance drones and even attack drones quietly to comb every length and bridth of their state forests scanning for unauthorized settlers or suspected gunmen which can easily be taken out by a drone without exposing our security operatives to danger?


At least I have been following Ukraine Russia war and I see what the Ukrainian military are doing to well armed Russian soldiers using drones, even in deep forests and difficult terrains, why can't we replicate this in Nigeria to get rid of these murderous Fulani terrorists that have encycled our forests? Or is it until these guys overrun Nigeria completely?

truthera:
What economic benefit have fulani contributed to your region since you've lived with them for decades?

I didn't say that all fulanis are bad but I specifically said that you can not easily differentiate them because they corporate and cover the bad ones. Even among those you call fulani pastoralists, many of them do not respect their host communities, moving their cows indiscriminately into people's farms to destroy it. Was it not in this platform that I watched a video recently where a fulani man had beat up, injured and left an Amotekun officer bleeding for trying to stop his cows from grazing in someone's farm?

I am interested in knowing what you've benefited or are benefiting now from harboring fulani communities in your South West region..... Tell me one benefit.

HacheNoire:
Let me educate you using Lagos has a case study. The Fulani’s contributed to the business robustness of Lagos more than you can ever think of.

Let’s go a deep dive to the 80’s where they brought trade to Lagos. They were the FIRST to partner with Yoruba’s in places like Agege, Ojo, Ikeja and Alimosho!

Do you know what was located in front of what you call Muritala international airport today? It was a BDC with Fulani’s, and Yoruba’s dominating currency trade.

I forgot to mention Ojota! Do you know how that location became a hub for agricultural produce?

Do you have any history how Agege became a hub for cows, goats and sheep’s? It was the long term cooperation of Hausa/Fulani’s and Yoruba’s.

Many legacy’s they had set long before even the South Easterners started investing in the West.

They brought massive trade and socio economic benefits.

You might want to attribute to military rule, but they were calm. Rare conflicts and love abound.

As a matter of fact, in those days, Agege was the best place to enjoy Sallah. Those Hausa/Fulani’s will mess everywhere up with beef!

You won’t even know we from different tribes!

Why do you think Yoruba’s tend to speak , understand and relate with Hausa’s/Fulani’s more than Igbo’s? It’s a decades old relationship.

truthera:
Hmm so eating beef and suya made by Fulani, buying madara from mushroom mami market business they run and BDCs are what you tag as massive economic benefit? Well I guess now that they have graduated to include terrorism and kidnapping to the list, hope you won't complain when you are directly affected since you want them to remain in your forest.....

HacheNoire:
Like I stated earlier, even we Yoruba’s have our own criminals and no one has generalized us as criminals.

Bad element might be dominant in a tribe and it’s not enough reason to stigmatize a whole tribe!

We are after criminals in the West, not Fulani’s.

If Yoruba’s should use your logic as a baseline, only Yoruba’s will be in the West.

We not South Africans! We appreciate every contribution that makes the West great and a standard for all to follow.

We didn’t do that alone, we did it through the contribution of every tribe, ethnic groups and religions.

truthera:
Is it normal to you that foreigners come into your region only to live your forest, far away from where existing towns and communities reside? If you do not see that as a red flag then there is no need continuing this conversation.....

Why do fulanis prefer to live the forest if they have no ulterior motives? Why don't they live with and participate in developing their host communities like how other tribes especially the igbos do? You can see the consequences of allowing that is already happening yet you still want to deceive yourself trying to compare it with South Africa xenophobia when it's not. Fulani migrated, expanded into geographical location we now call Nigeria mainly through conquest (Usman dan Fodio), they are not like other indigenous tribes....So as I said earlier, if you and your people are okay with them in your forest, gradually taking over your region, you are free to enjoy the ride....

HacheNoire:
So it’s all Fulani’s that live in forest?

Have you been to Agege, ojo or photo?

You can’t make sense here! Quit trying to.