Usman Shehu, Desk Editor, Africa at Deutsche Welle talks about the ethnic cleansing and systemic discrimination against Fulani Herdsmen in the Middle Belt of Nigeria. He also spoke on the Mabilla attacks on Fulani people which he described as a genocidal.

The Fulani are pastoral herders who migrate with their cattle, following the pendulum swing of the seasons. But their age-old way of life is under threat. Booming populations have intensified conflicts for land, religious extremism has shattered social bonds and climate change is driving them on an ever more desperate search for pasture.

A nomad school in central Nigeria has altered its timetable to let children help their herder parents.. The third part of our special report on Fulani nomads.

Since 2012, Mali has slowly slid into chaos as Islamic terrorist groups linked to al-Qaeda have gained ground. Over the years, the violence has swept from the country’s north. With many young people, mostly Fulani herders, now also struggling with unemployment, they are turning to the jihadist groups and joining their ranks in a bid to escape poverty.

Usman Mohamadu walked over 300 miles in 10 days to sell his cattle for a fortune in a country very fond of red meat. The second part of our special report on Fulani nomads

An AFP team met the Fulanis through a series of original reports. The nomads have to adapt or fight if they don't want to disappear. Here's a selection of the top pictures from this special report.

Who are the Fulani today? AFP followed these semi-nomadic people for several weeks and in several countries in the African continent. An excerpt here from AFP's work in Mali.