The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) has raised the alarm over a rapidly escalating Hausa–Fulani insurgency in North-West Nigeria, following a fact-finding mission to the region in January led by its Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat.
PeacePro identified Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto States as the epicentres of the growing crisis, warning that rising ethnic tensions and retaliatory violence are deepening insecurity across the region.
Hamzat said the insurgency is distinct from the long-standing Almajiri phenomenon, but noted that both crises are compounding social fragmentation and security challenges.
He warned that Hausa and Fulani communities are increasingly developing parallel, retaliatory insurgent tendencies, fuelling mistrust and cycles of violence.
According to Hamzat, the current insurgency evolved from banditry in the mid-2010s, with criminal networks exploiting ethnic tensions to expand kidnapping, cattle rustling, illegal mining and territorial control.
He added that political mismanagement has worsened the crisis, with some leaders downplaying criminal activity or blaming entire communities, thereby encouraging retaliation and armed self-defence mobilisation.
“State failure and political manipulation have transformed what could have been contained disputes into an entrenched insurgency,” Hamzat said.
He described Zamfara as the epicentre of the crisis, citing weak governance and unregulated mining.
Katsina, he said, is facing rising reprisal attacks and kidnappings, while Sokoto — historically insulated by strong religious authority — is now experiencing spillover violence, raising regional concern.
PeacePro called for urgent and decisive action, including impartial security intervention, strengthened criminal justice accountability, political de-escalation and community reconciliation.
The organisation warned that failure to act risks turning the North-West into a lawless zone.
