What Are Northern Fulani Hunters Looking For In The South?

What Are Northern Fulani Hunters Looking For In The South?   Once again, Nigeria is at a dangerous crossroads, and once again, the North is ...

What Are Northern Fulani Hunters Looking For In The South?  

Once again, Nigeria is at a dangerous crossroads, and once again, the North is playing the victim while issuing threats of revenge. The killing of 16 so-called Northern “hunters” in Uromi, Edo State, has sparked outrage from Northern groups, who are warning of reprisals and urging Northerners to leave the South. But before we get carried away by the noise, an important question must be asked: What were these so-called hunters looking for in the South?

The North has some of the largest forests in Nigeria. Sambisa Forest in Borno, Rugu Forest in Katsina, Kuyanbana Forest in Zamfara, Kamuku Forest in Kaduna, Falgore Forest in Kano, and Allawa Forest in Niger State these are vast lands filled with wildlife. If these were real hunters, why bypass all these forests and travel hundreds of kilometers to Uromi, Edo State? What exactly were they hunting?  

History is repeating itself before our eyes, yet many fail to see the pattern. What is happening today in the South is exactly what happened in Hausaland before the Fulani conquest. The original Hausa people ruled themselves for centuries. They had strong kingdoms and cultural identities. But the Fulani did not come with open war; they came with deception.  

They arrived as mere visitors, claiming to be peaceful settlers. Then they became scholars and clerics, pretending to be religious reformers. They won the trust of the Hausa rulers. But behind the scenes, they were organizing, plotting, and preparing for conquest. When the time was right, they launched the Fulani Jihad of 1804, led by Usman Dan Fodio. The same Hausa kings who welcomed them were overthrown, their lands taken, and their people enslaved. Today, the Hausa are a shadow of what they once were. Their language, culture, and identity have been swallowed by the Fulani-controlled Sokoto Caliphate.  

The same process is now happening in Southern Nigeria. The Fulani first came as herders, pretending to be harmless cattle rearers. Then they became bandits and kidnappers, terrorizing communities. Now they have arrived as hunters, claiming to be in search of wild animals. But those who know history understand what comes next.  

This is not an isolated event. It is part of a larger plan. The North has a history of making threats and following up with mass killings. We have seen it before:  

- 1966 Pogrom: They claimed Igbos planned a coup, and in response, over 30,000 Igbos were slaughtered in cold blood.  

- 1980 Kano Riots: They claimed Southern businesses were dominating, and over 5,000 Southerners were murdered.  

- 2000 Kaduna Sharia Riots: They claimed Christians opposed Sharia law, and over 2,000 people, mostly Igbos, were butchered.  

- 2011 Post-Election Violence: They claimed the election was rigged, and they went on a killing spree in Kano, Kaduna, and Bauchi. 

- 2020 EndSARS Massacres: They sent Northern thugs to attack protesters in Lagos and Abuja, burning businesses and killing Southerners.  

Now, after Uromi, they are threatening another round of bloodshed. If history has taught us anything, it is that these threats are never empty.  

Instead of calling for peace, Northern leaders are talking about reprisals. Instead of asking what their so-called hunters were doing in Uromi, they are justifying violence. The Concerned Northern Forum (CNF) has already urged Northerners to leave the South. This is a clear warning sign. In 1966, before the pogroms, they told Northerners to leave the East. Shortly after, a bloodbath followed.  

Biafrans and Southerners must not be deceived. These so-called hunters were not in Uromi for antelopes. They were there for something bigger. If we ignore this warning, we may wake up one day to find our lands overrun.  

The Fulani expansion strategy has always been the same: Enter as guests, stay as settlers, dominate as rulers. It happened to the Hausa people, and it can happen to us if we let our guard down. The forests in the North are empty, but they are sending hunters to the South? No, these are not hunters. These are foot soldiers of a larger agenda.  

This is not the time for complacency. This is the time to wake up, ask the right questions, and stay prepared. What happened in Uromi was not just an unfortunate incident it was a test. And if we fail this test, the consequences will be severe.

Family Writers Press International