Pulaku: The two faces of Nigeria’s vigilantes
Allegations of torture and abuse shadow a Fulani-led vigilante group despite its role in clamping down on kidnappers.
Allegations of torture and abuse shadow a Fulani-led vigilante group despite its role in clamping down on kidnappers.
At about 11:30 pm on May 23, 2023, Musa looked out of a window overlooking the gate of his home in Adamawa State, northeastern Nigeria.
Musa, 49, usually left his dogs loose in the compound at night. But the men who had climbed over the fence drove them back into their cage and locked it, clearing a path to the house.
Cattle theft has also taken a heavy toll. A 2024 study published in the University of Jos Journal of Political Science estimated that 134,182 cattle were stolen in Taraba between 1999 and 2022. Over the same period, researchers reported that more than 113,000 stolen cattle were recovered in Adamawa.