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The Dahalo of Madagascar and Cattle Rustlers in the Lake Chad Basin, a Shared Threat Beyond Borders

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The Dahalo of Madagascar and Cattle Rustlers in the Lake Chad Basin, a Shared Threat Beyond Borders

By: Zagazola Makama

In the heart of Africa and the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, two seemingly distant threats share a dangerous commonality: the Dahalo and cattle rustlers. Though they exist in different geographical, cultural, and political contexts, both groups have metamorphosed from traditional raiders into well-armed, highly networked criminal enterprises with disturbing implications for regional security, economic stability, and global illicit trade.

Traditionally, the Dahalo of Madagascar were young men proving their bravery through cattle theft and culturally accepted rite of passage. But over the years, this practice evolved into a violent criminal operation, particularly in Madagascar’s southern “red zones.” Today, Dahalo fighters move in formations reminiscent of guerrilla units, carrying Kalashnikovs and MAS-36 rifles, burning villages, and executing raids with deadly precision.

A similar transformation has occurred across the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) and the broader Sahel. What was once a pastoralist ritual for dowry or status has devolved into rampant cattle rustling, marked by commercial motivations and military-grade violence. Armed groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP have co-opted cattle theft as a tool of economic warfare and insurgency financing, altering the dynamics of regional insecurity.

In both regions, the actors are heavily armed and exploit ungoverned spaces for strategic advantage. Madagascar’s Dahalo exploit remote territories with minimal government presence, particularly in the Great South, operating freely in zones that mirror guerrilla warfare conditions.

In the Sahel and Lake Chad region, cattle rustlers and terror groups capitalize on Nigeria’s marshlands of Lake Chad, and the mountainous border regions of Niger and Mali. Here, they evade security forces, engage in cross-border raids, and impose illegal taxes on livestock traders and herders.

A critical yet underreported dimension is the emergence of transnational livestock trafficking networks, often referred to as the “meat mafia.” In both Madagascar and West Africa, stolen cattle are laundered through intermediaries – including corrupt officials, market traders, transporters, and butchers blending seamlessly with legally acquired livestock in regional markets.

In Nigeria, Africa’s largest cattle market, rustled herds are sold openly. Sophisticated tactics like “cattle round-tripping” moving animals across porous borders to obscure their origins have are now common. In Burkina Faso, jihadist groups such as JNIM and Ansarul Islam have even developed “commercial partnerships” with these networks, earning millions in monthly revenues to sustain their insurgencies.

Madagascar mirrors this structure. Government reports have exposed collusion between national leaders, police officers, and judges in facilitating Dahalo operations. Special advisers have described entire “cattle mafias” laundering thousands of heads of zebu (a prized local breed), with links to export markets in China and Arab states.

Another chilling layer to this network is the leather trade. While concrete evidence linking fashion brands to leather sourced from stolen livestock remains elusive, the risk is real. In Nigeria alone, animal skin exports generate more than $800 million annually. With no comprehensive system to trace the origin of hides, it’s highly plausible that stolen cattle contribute to global leather supply chains.

The fashion industry, known for its opaque supply networks, often sources leather through tanneries in high-risk regions. This opens a channel for conflict leather to flow unnoticed into international markets. Inaction or failure to investigate supply origins could render global brands complicit – knowingly or not – in fueling banditry and terror finance.

The terror-crime nexus in the LCB and Sahel is undeniable. Groups like Boko Haram use cattle rustling not just to fund operations but to dominate rural economies. They impose taxes on herders, abduct livestock owners for ransom, and terrorize communities into submission. These tactics serve both economic and psychological warfare, entrenching their control and weakening state legitimacy.

While the Dahalo are less ideologically motivated, their methods mimic insurgent governance: hostage-taking, village destruction, and an ability to operate with impunity. Madagascar’s internal security challenges mirror the complexity of northern Nigeria and the tri-border Sahel.

What Next? Toward a Multisectoral Response

The threat posed by these groups transcends cattle rustling. It reflects broader failures in governance, law enforcement, and border security. Left unchecked, they undermine fragile economies, deepen food insecurity, and blur the lines between criminal enterprise and armed conflict.

Addressing this challenge demands a multisectoral strategy: Strengthen border surveillance and regional intelligence-sharing.Regulate and digitize livestock movement through traceable means (e.g., tagging, blockchain). Crack down on collusion within security forces and public institutions.
Enforce due diligence in the leather and meat industries to prevent laundering of stolen goods.
Provide pastoral communities with economic alternatives and local protection mechanisms.

Conclusion

From the red plains of Madagascar to the dry frontiers of the Sahel, a dark economy thrives on the backs of stolen cattle. Whether driven by profit, ritual, or insurgency, the actors involved share more than just tactics. they exploit the same gaps in governance, the same desperation of vulnerable communities, and the same blind spots in international oversight.

The world may view cattle rustling as a relic of the past, but in reality, it is a sophisticated and deadly enterprise one that demands urgent attention from African states, global industry, and international partners alike.

Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region

The Dahalo of Madagascar and Cattle Rustlers in the Lake Chad Basin, a Shared Threat Beyond Borders

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Indian factory manager slumps, dies in Edo community

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Indian factory manager slumps, dies in Edo community

By: Zagazola Makama

A 47-year-old Indian national, identified as Kalidass Arunachalam, has died after suddenly slumping while on duty at a factory in Ologbo, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the deceased was a production manager with Green Hills Agricultural Products Ltd. He was said to have collapsed at about 11:30 a.m. on Friday while working at the company premises.

Company representatives, including another Indian national, Tushar Tukaram Phadtare, along with the Managing Director, Suleman Dauda, and the Chief Security Officer, Lt. Col. Thompson Udom (rtd), rushed him to God’s Spring Best Care Hospital in the Obaretin Community for urgent medical attention.

A medical doctor at the facility, identified as Dr. Kingsley Dele, later confirmed Arunachalam dead while efforts were still being made to revive him.

Officials later visited the hospital where the body was found lying face up on a hospital bed with a drip attached. No visible marks of violence were observed on the corpse.

The remains of the deceased were deposited at the mortuary, and efforts are ongoing to contact the Indian Embassy to inform his next-of-kin and facilitate diplomatic procedures.

Indian factory manager slumps, dies in Edo community

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Three missing after boat carrying passengers, vehicles capsizes in Taraba

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Three missing after boat carrying passengers, vehicles capsizes in Taraba

By: Zagazola Makama

At least three persons, including a two-year-old child, are missing after a boat capsized on Friday night while ferrying passengers and vehicles across the Namnai River in Taraba State.

Zagazola Makama reports that the boat, which was transporting several passengers and three vehicles, capsized around 8:40 p.m. due to overloading and reckless navigation by the operator.

According to sources, the operator defied standing safety protocols by loading three vehicles onto the boat instead of the approved maximum of two. The mishap occurred while the boat was attempting to dock at the riverbank, when a strong wave destabilised it, causing it to overturn.

While many passengers were rescued by local divers and first responders, three victims identified as Aishatu Rilwanu, Baharatu Danasabe, and Yusuf Badaru, a two-year-old child all residents of Jantaro Ward in Mutum Biyu remain unaccounted for.

Rescue team were mobilised to scene as both community members and security personnel intensify the search and rescue efforts.

As of the time of filing this report, the rescue operation is still ongoing.

Three missing after boat carrying passengers, vehicles capsizes in Taraba

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Security operatives arrest 22 suspected Aiye cultists in Ogun, including two soldiers

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Security operatives arrest 22 suspected Aiye cultists in Ogun, including two soldiers

By: Zagazola Makama

Security operatives in Ogun have arrested 22 suspected members of the Aiye confraternity during a coordinated raid at Hilltop Hotel in Osiele, Odeda Local Government Area.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation, which took place on Friday night, followed credible intelligence received by officers at the Odeda Division regarding the unlawful gathering of cultists at the hotel.

The sources confirmed that a joint tactical team comprising officers from Aregbe Division, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), and the Anti-Cultism Unit stormed the hotel and apprehended the suspects.

Among those arrested were 19 males, three females, and two serving military personnel, suspected to be linked to the cult group.

Items recovered from the suspects include one UTC axe, a cut-to-size barrel gun, and several blue beret caps, all identified with the Aiye cult group.

The sources said that the State Criminal Investigation Department’s Anti-Cultism Unit at Eleweran has been directed to conduct a discreet investigation into the incident, while further profiling of the suspects is underway.

The sources said individuals or groups found engaging in such criminal acts would face the full weight of the law.

Security operatives arrest 22 suspected Aiye cultists in Ogun, including two soldiers

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