Banditry pushed us from cattle rearing to water vending-Herders

For generations, livestock rearing has been the backbone of Fulani livelihoods across northern Nigeria. Cattle, sheep and goats were not only sources of income but symbols of identity, culture and social status.

Today, however, many Fulani families who once roamed vast grazing lands with their herds are finding themselves in unfamiliar occupations as insecurity continues to reshape their lives and livelihoods across the North. Not only are they only labelled bandits or terrorists or suffer for a crime they didn’t commit or partake in, they say they are also victims of banditry.

Among the numerous Fulani who once owned large herds and could comfortably fend for themselves and their families is Aminu Ibrahim, a former herder from Masallaci community in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Like many others, he said banditry forced him to abandon cattle rearing, a lifelong trade he had always known and depended on to diversify into water vending.

“Everybody knows that the Fulani are traditionally livestock rearers. But because of insecurity, we were forced to leave the forests and move into town. Now, I push a water cart and sell water for a living,” he said.

The transition has not been easy. Aminu recalls how years of hard work invested in building his herd were wiped away by incessant bandits’ attacks. While he still keeps a few animals, he said many of his relatives lost virtually everything they ever owned.

“Some of our people lost almost all their livestock to bandits. I also lost my sheep. What remains is very little compared to what we once had,” he added.

His story reflects a growing reality among pastoral communities affected by insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.

In Gwadabawa Local Government Area, Malam Umar, a community leader, said many Fulani families had fled their settlements in search of safety.

According to him, insecurity has left numerous households struggling to rebuild their lives after losing cattle that represented years, and sometimes decades of investment.

“Before the crisis, I had many cattle. Today, I can hardly have anything because I lost many animals, which made us leave our homes for safer places because we wanted to save our lives,” Umar said.

The impact of the displacement is also visible in urban communities that have become home to many of the affected families.

In the Arkilla area of Sokoto metropolis, resident Malam Abdul Abubakar said the number of Fulani men who engaged in water vending increased significantly in recent years.

“Nowadays, it is mostly Fulani people who bring water to our homes for sale, unlike in the past when the Hausa dominated the water vending business in Arkilla,” he said.

According to him, the trend is directly linked to the insecurity that has affected rural communities and pastoral settlements.

“This is connected to the security crisis that has affected many people, including the Fulani themselves. Not all of them are involved in banditry. In fact, some have lost their wealth and livelihoods because of attacks carried out by fellow Fulani involved in criminal activities,” he said.

Abubakar recalled that residents were initially concerned when large numbers of displaced Fulani families began arriving in the area, but their perceptions changed as they learned more about their circumstances.

“At first, we were worried when we saw so many Fulani settling in our community. Later, we came to understand that they had been forced to leave their homes because of circumstances beyond their control.

“We live peacefully with them. Some work as security guards, some sell water, while others have opened small shops and businesses,” he explained.

He urged the authorities to intensify efforts to tackle insecurity and address the hardship faced by affected communities.

“Our leaders should focus on ending the security crisis, considering the level of suffering and fear among the people.

“Under normal circumstances, what would bring a Fulani herder into the water vending business?” He asked.

Beyond the economic losses, displaced herders said they also faced social challenges in their new communities.

Some complain of being viewed with suspicion because several notorious bandit leaders are believed to be of Fulani origin.

Faruku, another displaced herder from Gwadabawa, described the experience as painful.

He said, “Many Fulani families have suffered greatly. We left the forests and moved into towns with our families. But in some places, people judge us because of the actions of criminals we have never met.”

Despite these challenges, many displaced herders are adapting to new realities. Some now engage in petty trading, water vending, commercial transportation and other small-scale businesses to support their families.

Community leaders said the situation underscored the need for greater support for victims of insecurity, including livelihood assistance, education and programmes that could help displaced families rebuild their lives.

For men like Aminu, the memories of life as a herder remain strong. Yet each day, as he pushes his water cart through the streets in search of customers, he is reminded of how profoundly insecurity has altered the course of his life.

“I never imagined that I would leave livestock rearing for this kind of work. But when insecurity takes away your animals and your peace, you do whatever you can to survive,” he said.

For decades, Malam Maikarfi knew only one way of life: cattle herding. Today, however, the Fulani herder spends his days pushing a water cart through the streets of Sokoto city, a job he never imagined he would ever partake in.

Maikarfi, who has lived in Sokoto for over four years, said he fled his hometown of Asare in Gwadabawa Local Government Area alongside his family and relatives due to persistent attacks and pressure from armed bandits.

Unable to recall his exact date of birth, he estimated that he is at least 50 years old.

“As you can see, I can barely get up from the bed because of back pain. The pain is related to this work of selling water. But I have no choice because it is what feeds my family and some relatives who live with me,” he noted.

Before insecurity forced him to leave his community, Maikarfi herded nearly 100 cattle, mostly owned by the Hausawa, which had been the source of his livelihood and identity.

He recalled: “Most of my cattle were stolen by bandits. Others were sold off by their owners to avoid losing everything. I never imagined that I would do any work other than herding livestock because that is what I know best. Today, I find myself pushing a water cart.”

Despite the challenges, he remains grateful. “We thank God. This isn’t the life I wanted, but I have no alternative,” he said.

With reports of improving security in some rural areas, Maikarfi is hopeful that he may soon return home. “I think I will go back this year and farm because things seem to be getting better. Some of our people have already started returning,” he said.

Interestingly, asked about his nickname, Maikarfi, which translates to “the strong one,” he laughed and explained that the name was actually given to him ironically because he wasn’t strong.

Although he said he had not faced major difficulties living in the city, he still prefers life in the countryside. “I am more used to village life,” he said.

Peaceful coexistence in the water trade

The arrival of displaced Fulani herders into Sokoto’s water-selling business has not created tension with existing vendors, according to local traders.

Malam Nura Abubakar, a Hausa water vendor from Wamakko, said competition had remained healthy and peaceful.

He said, “Everyone is simply trying to earn a living. Their entry into the business has not reduced my income. I still have my customers, and I continue to earn from my work.”

According to Abubakar, Hausa and Fulani water vendors obtain water from the same sources and maintain cordial relationships.

“We don’t have problems with them. We all use the same water source, and we have a good relationship,” he said.

Residents also said the increased number of vendors had improved access to water.

Malam Isa Aliyu, a resident of Arkilla, noted that water had become easier to obtain since more Fulani traders joined the business.

“In the past, there were fewer water vendors and getting water could be difficult, but now, whenever you need water, you can easily find a Fulani vendor who will deliver it to you,” he said.

Livelihoods lost, lives rebuilt

Maikarfi’s story reflects the broader impact of insecurity on rural communities across northwestern Nigeria.

Thousands of herders and farmers have been displaced by banditry, forcing many to abandon traditional occupations and seek alternative livelihoods in urban areas.

For some people like Maikarfi, adapting has meant exchanging cattle for a water cart, yet, despite the hardship, the hope of returning home and rebuilding their former lives remains strong.

For many displaced Fulani families, survival, not tradition, has become the priority. What was once a life defined by herding cattle across open grazing lands is increasingly being replaced by the struggle to earn a daily income in unfamiliar urban occupations, a testament to the far-reaching human cost of insecurity in northern Nigeria.

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