A Facebook page named “Gombiyar Hausa” is allegedly being used to incite hatred and rivalry between Hausa and Fulani communities, according to freelance journalist Abdulrazak Ahmad Jibia.
Abdulrazak Jibia, a Katsina-born journalist known for his coverage of security, education, and religious issues in Northwest Nigeria, revealed that the page has been spreading divisive posts capable of sparking ethnic and religious conflicts.
Freelance Journalist, Abdulrazak Ahmad Jibia, from Katsina State
He traced the history of the account, saying it was originally created as “Gimbiya” on July 15, 2021, later renamed “Gimbiya FM” on April 13, 2022, and finally changed to “Gimbiyar Hausa” on January 12, 2023. He alleged that three people currently manage the page, which pushes content that poisons relations between Hausa and Fulani two ethnic groups historically bound by Islam.
According to Abdulrazak Jibia, the Hausa and Fulani have long shared close cultural and religious ties, earning them the common identity of “Hausa-Fulani”. He therefore urged members of both communities worldwide to resist attempts at division.
“The Facebook page ‘Gimbiyar Hausa’ was deliberately created to ignite conflict among us and weaken the Islamic values that bind our hearts,” Jibia warned.
His concerns were echoed by journalist Nasiru Adamu El-hikaya from Gombe State, who was among the first to notice the page’s harmful agenda. The account now has more than 181,000 followers, raising fears of a wider influence.
On September 7, 2025, El-hikaya published a lengthy Facebook post, strongly condemning those using social media to insult revered Islamic leaders, including Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo, the 19th-century Islamic reformer.
He argued that such campaigns not only attempt to distort history but also fan the flames of ethnic rivalry between Hausa and Fulani. “These people pretend to defend Hausa identity, yet their real aim is to malign Mujaddadi Shehu Usmanu Danfodiyo and sow division,” he wrote.
Prominent Journalist, Nasiru Adamu El-hikaya, from Gombe State
El-hikaya reminded readers that the Hausa and Fulani, though distinct groups, are deeply interwoven through religion, intermarriage, and trade. He cautioned against falling into the trap of those spreading disunity for personal or political gain.
On September 13, 2025, El-hikaya posted again, accusing the promoters of the “Gimbiyar Hausa” page of using anti-Islamic rhetoric. He likened their tactics to those behind ethnic massacres elsewhere in Africa, warning that unchecked hate speech could escalate into violence.
He cited historical examples, including Rwanda’s genocide, stressing that propaganda based on ethnicity has catastrophic consequences. He urged northern Nigerian elites, clerics, and historians to counter false narratives with documented truths.
In subsequent posts, El-hikaya alleged that the so-called “Gimbiya” was not a woman, as portrayed, but a male operator hiding behind a fake identity. He presented screenshots suggesting that the page was run by impostors bent on misleading the public.
On September 19, 2025, he further accused the page handlers of targeting prominent Islamic scholars after previously attacking late leaders such as Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.
“Even the colonial powers failed to alter the values of the Hausa-Fulani. But today, some misguided youth are being used to ignite division in the name of ethnicity,” El-hikaya lamented.
Engineer Mustapha Gembu from Borno State
Other voices have also joined the debate. On September 17, 2025, Mustapha Gembu, a Borno-born engineer with Dangote Group, denounced the page in English, describing it as a self-styled activist platform peddling fabricated lies against Hausa-Fulani leaders.
Observers warn that unless authorities and community leaders take swift action, pages like “Gimbiyar Hausa” may exploit social media freedoms to spread dangerous disinformation.
The controversy has revived calls for stronger monitoring of online platforms and for renewed efforts to preserve the historical unity of the Hausa-Fulani identity.
