Netflix’s ‘The Herd’ Fuels Backlash As Angry Viewers Push for App Deletion
- A new Nigerian Netflix original, The Herd, has become the centre of a nationwide debate over its bold portrayal of kidnappings
- Some viewers, especially from the North, are calling for Netflix to be banned, while others insist the movie mirrors Nigeria’s harsh realities
- The film marks actor Daniel Etim-Effiong’s directorial debut and has already crossed 30 million views within days of release
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A fresh controversy has gripped Nigeria’s entertainment space after the release of the Netflix film The Herd, directed by Nollywood star Daniel Etim-Effiong.
What should have been a celebratory moment for the actor’s directorial debut has now turned into a national conversation filled with heated arguments about representation.
The film, which premiered on Friday, November 17, 2025, has astonishingly garnered over 30 million views.
Source: Instagram
Yet, the same movie attracting global attention is the one some Nigerians want completely removed from their screens.
The Herd tells the gripping story of everyday Nigerians struggling to survive in a world where kidnapping has become a daily fear.
The narrative explored the violent attacks linked to bandits and Fulani herdsmen.
For some viewers, especially from Muslim and Northern communities, the portrayal feels unfair and harmful.
They argued that the storyline paints an entire group in a negative light and could worsen public stereotypes.
The pushback gained momentum on X (formerly Twitter), where an aggrieved group began urging Nigerians to delete the Netflix app in protest.
But not everyone agrees.
A significant number of Nigerians believe the movie only reflects the painful reality the country faces every day. For this group, the film is not an attack; it’s a reflection.
They argue that cinema should be allowed to tell uncomfortable stories, especially when those stories force the nation to confront issues long swept under the carpet.
To them, calling for a ban only avoids the deeper conversations the film was designed to ignite.
Watch the trailer of the movie:
The Herd movie suffers backlash online
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of netizens below:
Commenting, a former President Buhari aide, @BashirAhmaad, stated that the movie profiled an ethnic group wrongly.
He stated:
The reason why some Arewa people are angry about The Herd movie is not because we are denying the reality of banditry, far from it. It is about the dangerous consequences of profiling an entire ethnic group and region that has already suffered immensely from years of insecurity. I watched the teaser on @NetflixNaija and even though I haven’t watched the full movie yet, the one clear problem that stands out is stereotyping...
@Fulani_Tutor said:
“Ban Netflix, Ban the herd, Delete Netflix on your phone. As a Muslim, you have no business with this movie. Ban Netflix.”
azeez__abdul remarked:
“Continue with your hate on Muslims in Nigeria! We don’t care about your hatred and propaganda! Why not put more effort on your self and your religion instead of trying everything possible to tarnish the image of a particular religion and people! There are good and bad people in every tribe and religion! You will never find a Muslim playing such game, The west have tried for centuries and failed and has backfired by educating so many misinformed society.”
Source: Instagram
Daniel Etim-Effiong's wife blushes over him
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Toyosi blushed over her husband, Daniel Etim-Effiong, after seeing a picture of him on the poster of a movie.
Toyosi noted that while she saw her husband regularly, she could stop blushing over him.
The wife of the actor had always been open about how much she loves her husband.
Source: Legit.ng
