Unmasking the Armed Fulani Networks Driving Ethno-Religious Violence in Northern Nigeria

I have spent over ten years researching violence across northern Nigeria. My field interviews and data from a prominent observatory reveal that most attacks in the Northwest and Middle Belt are carried out by organized Fulani networks, not merely criminal mobs. In the Northwest, roughly 30,000 armed Fulani bandits control territories across Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Kaduna states. Public statements by senior politicians confirm their shared ethnic and religious profile. Their anti-aircraft firepower and territorial control show they operate as insurgent-level groups. In the Middle Belt, armed Fulani militants target farming communities in Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba and Kwara states. Churches are burned, “Allahu Akbar” is chanted during raids, and pastors are singled out. Camps in Nasarawa serve as staging posts for cross-state attacks, highlighting a coordinated command structure. Labeling this crisis as a simple herder-farmer dispute obscures its true nature. Recognizing the ethno-religious motives and organized command behind these attacks is crucial for crafting responses that protect lives and restore stability.

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