Daniel Etim Effiong’s new Nollywood thriller “The Herd,” now streaming on Netflix, has triggered a nationwide storm over its portrayal of banditry, ethnic stereotyping, and the limits of artistic expression in a deeply divided country.
The film follows a family caught in an ambush by armed bandits during a rural festival, shining a spotlight on Nigeria’s worsening insecurity crisis, with over 1,000 abductions recorded in the past year. Starring Mercy Aigbe, Kunle Remi, and others, the story portrays herders and a corrupt pastor as central figures in a criminal network, drawing from real-life incidents in the northwest and north-central regions.
While many viewers have praised the movie for confronting national trauma head-on, a significant backlash has emerged, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), with critics accusing it of demonising Fulani herders and risking further ethnic tension.
Some users have even called for the film to be banned.
Some reactions seen by Okay News below:
@Letter_to_Jack
“Don’t the news used to profile the terrorists as Fulani herdsmen before? Also what is in the movie that is wrong? Have we not enough news of them truly killing people?”
@TheOlaudah
“I just finished streaming THE HERD. I have a problem with the church scenes cos they were badly shot. I honestly don’t know why Daniel Etim Effiong mentioned Ekiti in his movie. Has SW suddenly become a region dealing with kidnappings and kidnappers.”
@Wizarab10
“Okay, but everyone who watched the movie now believe poor Fulani cattle hearders are Nigeria’s problem abi?”
@AbdulMahmud01
“Even as a moderate, I refused watching this movie. There’s a lot of stereotypes around it.”
@FS_Yusuf_
“There’s a legitimate concern about ethnic bias, but in The Herd, the kidnappers are gunmen disguised as herdsmen, not all Fulani… It’s fiction reflecting real fears of kidnapping and insecurity in Nigeria.”
@PO_GrassRootM
“The only problem I have with ‘The Herd’ movie is that they were trying so much to be politically correct. Wetin concern Christian and Yoruba people for this matter. We know these terrorists. They are Muslims, and they are Fulani.”
@ZahrahBayero
“I understand why some Arewa people feel upset, the Fulani kidnappers are shown as violent… But from my view, the movie isn’t about telling a ‘true story’ of any tribe. It’s fiction and you can only tell your story.”
@ImranUsman_
“No matter how one look at it, the new @NetflixNaija
film ‘The Herd’ is in bad taste. It greatly simplifies the security problem we face, showcasing Hausa-Fulani as terrorists and the victims being mainly Christians.”
@OurFavOnlineDoc
“This is dangerous ethnic profiling. Fulani herdsmen are not synonymous with Armed bandits’. Dsame Fulani herdsmen who’ve been destroying lives and properties in Benue for years now? How would u know if you’re not directly affected?”
As at the time of filing this report, the production team is yet to issue an official response to the controversy.
