Netflix’s ‘The Herd’ Ignites Controversy Over Profiling of Fulani

Netflix’s ‘The Herd’ Ignites Controversy Over Profiling of Fulani

The new Nollywood thriller “The Herd” has ignited a firestorm of controversy on social media, with prominent critics accusing it of perpetuating dangerous ethnic stereotypes against the Fulani community.

The film, now streaming on Netflix and directed by Daniel Etim-Effiong, depicts a wedding convoy in southwestern Nigeria being ambushed by gunmen disguised as cattle herders.

The central criticism, led by figures like former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad, focuses on the film’s alleged blanket profiling. In a detailed post on X, Ahmad argued that while banditry is a real crisis, the movie’s portrayal wrongly implicates an entire ethnic group.

He pointed to a specific scene where herders are shown peacefully crossing a road before suddenly pulling out guns to attack, calling it a “dangerously inaccurate” portrayal that fuels stigma and could lead to violence against innocent Fulani people.

Ahmad and other critics contend that the film oversimplifies a complex security issue. They emphasize that the vast majority of Fulani herders are themselves victims of the violence, having lost livelihoods and family members.

The core grievance is that by failing to distinguish between criminals and a whole community, the film risks deepening social divisions at a time when Nigeria needs unity.

The controversy has led to calls for the Nigerian Film Corporation to provide better guidance on handling such sensitive subjects, underscoring the powerful responsibility of filmmakers in shaping national and global narratives.

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