KANO — A viral video featuring a Fulani woman identified as Hauwau has ignited a firestorm of conversation across Nigeria after she publicly admitted that the vast majority of bandits terrorizing the country are of her own ethnicity.
In the candid address, Hauwau challenged the narrative that criticisms against the Fulani are born out of tribal spite, asserting instead that they are based on a painful reality. “When you hear people say Fulanis are the problems of Nigeria… you would think these people are talking out of spite, but they are not,” she said. “90% of the bandits in Nigeria are Fulanis.”
Hauwau’s admission comes at a time of heightened ethnic tension in Northern Nigeria, following back-to-back massacres in Doma, Katsina and Abande, Benue, where survivors have consistently identified their attackers as “suspected Fulani bandits.”
Her statement is being viewed as part of a growing movement of internal critique within the Fulani community, where individuals are choosing to speak out rather than offer blanket defenses. In a similar viral TikTok exchange, a Fulani activist was seen confronting a bandit leader, asking how they could equate the lives of cattle to human lives after the bandit claimed military attacks on their herds justified their kidnappings.
The timing of this “insider” admission is particularly sensitive as the Department of State Services (DSS) proceeds with the terrorism financing trial of former AGF Abubakar Malami.
Malami stands accused of shielding Fulani banditry financiers during his tenure, a charge that critics like Solomon Dalung say proves that the “banditry industry” was protected at the highest levels of the previous administration.
Hauwau’s statement has drawn a polarized response:
As the 2027 general elections approach, the issue of “ethnicized” security remains a potent political weapon. Professor Usman Yusuf recently warned that no military solution, including the purchase of “Tucano Jets,” will work until the government addresses the “133 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty” that drives young men into the arms of bandits.
As of February 2026, the Federal Government has not officially responded to Hauwau’s viral video, but the discourse is expected to influence the ongoing legislative debate on regional security and the use of “forest guards.”
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In the candid address, Hauwau challenged the narrative that criticisms against the Fulani are born out of tribal spite, asserting instead that they are based on a painful reality. “When you hear people say Fulanis are the problems of Nigeria… you would think these people are talking out of spite, but they are not,” she said. “90% of the bandits in Nigeria are Fulanis.”
Hauwau’s admission comes at a time of heightened ethnic tension in Northern Nigeria, following back-to-back massacres in Doma, Katsina and Abande, Benue, where survivors have consistently identified their attackers as “suspected Fulani bandits.”
Her statement is being viewed as part of a growing movement of internal critique within the Fulani community, where individuals are choosing to speak out rather than offer blanket defenses. In a similar viral TikTok exchange, a Fulani activist was seen confronting a bandit leader, asking how they could equate the lives of cattle to human lives after the bandit claimed military attacks on their herds justified their kidnappings.
The timing of this “insider” admission is particularly sensitive as the Department of State Services (DSS) proceeds with the terrorism financing trial of former AGF Abubakar Malami.
Malami stands accused of shielding Fulani banditry financiers during his tenure, a charge that critics like Solomon Dalung say proves that the “banditry industry” was protected at the highest levels of the previous administration.
Hauwau’s statement has drawn a polarized response:
As the 2027 general elections approach, the issue of “ethnicized” security remains a potent political weapon. Professor Usman Yusuf recently warned that no military solution, including the purchase of “Tucano Jets,” will work until the government addresses the “133 million Nigerians living in multidimensional poverty” that drives young men into the arms of bandits.
As of February 2026, the Federal Government has not officially responded to Hauwau’s viral video, but the discourse is expected to influence the ongoing legislative debate on regional security and the use of “forest guards.”
Hey there! Exciting news - we've deactivated our website's comment provider to focus on more interactive channels! Join the conversation on our stories through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media pages, and let's chat, share, and connect in the best way possible!