After a short-lived cinema run, The Herd arrived on Netflix on November 21, 2025, marking Daniel Etim-Effiong’s directorial debut.
Upon release, the film stood out for thematic timeliness while the characters felt reasonably layered, with nearly every major figure possessing a subtle backstory that reveals a hidden side of their otherwise conspicuous personality. I thought that the Hausa-speaking actors, from Abba Ali Zaky to Ibrahim Abubakar Fulani and Amal Umar, among others, brought authenticity to the interpretation of their characters, with the poignant depiction of crime and socio-political tensions that undercut Northern and Southern Nigeria. I needed to connect with one of these actors of Northern extraction, and it turned out to be Abba Ali Zaky that responded first from the few I reached out to.
Zaky joins me on an afternoon Google Meet call from Kano, revisiting the road to embodying Halil, sharing key experiences from the production and offering thoughts on the film as a facsimile of contemporary Nigerian realities. In The Herd, Zaky as Halil leads the breakaway bandit faction that ambushes travellers within the opening minutes of the film. He is portrayed as calm and reasonable but ambitious and fierce, daring to challenge the authority of their overall leader Sheik and establish a criminal network of his own.
This interview with Zaky has been condensed for clarity.
What was the journey to securing the role of Halil in The Herd? Did you audition for it?
I did not audition for the role. Daniel Etim-Effiong contacted me on Instagram. He sent me a message saying he had a project he was working on and wanted me to be part of it. He asked for my number so we could talk and see if it were something I would be interested in, and I said no problem. We discussed it, and I loved the story. He told me he would send the script two days later but that he wanted another actor from me since he didn’t know actors in the North. I suggested five actors to him, and he chose Ibrahim. That was how everything started and here we are.
Halil is portrayed as a fierce but reasonable person and also a victim of circumstances in the world of kidnapping and banditry. How did you prepare to embody this character?
When Daniel Etim-Effiong sent me the script, I read it and understood the character. I looked at his backstory and the kind of person he is. I did not do too much preparation because I connected with the personality. It was when we came to Lagos before shooting that I prepared very well. I made sure I understood everything from beginning to end.
Were you at any point conflicted about your character portrayal?
When I first got the script, I thought it was going to attack Northerners. But when I read, I saw what the pastor did, what the main character did and everything else. There are good and bad people everywhere. The film is just the truth. I did not have any internal conflict. Even when people around me were worried that the film would paint the North in a bad light, I said “no” because I knew what the film portrayed and I agreed to tell the story.
What was the overall filming experience like for you, working with the crew and the rest of the cast, especially as you starred alongside other Hausa-speaking actors?
We [my peers and I from the North] joined them on set after they had already been filming for about two to three weeks. I will describe the filming experience as special, natural, and collaborative. The director was incredibly fun and simple to work with, and he, along with the entire team, treated us with respect. The welfare on set was also top-notch, which made it easy for me to stay focused and give my best. Even though the story deals with intense themes, the environment behind the scenes was warm, supportive, and highly professional.
What would you describe as the most memorable moment for you on the set of The Herd?
The most memorable thing was spending my Salah there. It felt strange and uncomfortable because it was my first time spending Salah on a film set. They killed a ram for us so we would not miss the Salah meat, and that made it nice. That was a memorable moment for us off the scenes.
Considering your association with Kannywood, which is often viewed as a subset of Nollywood, and your experience with The Herd, which is mainstream, how would you differentiate the two industries?
I am not in Kannywood. You will hardly see me in their films. I have acted in Hausa language films, but they are not Kannywood. I have more experience in Nollywood, with my very first acting being in Voiceless, a film which came out in 2020 and went to Netflix. I’ve also appeared in several Rok TV and Africa Magic productions, though they fall outside what is considered mainstream Nollywood. The experiences with Nollywood and Kannywood are very different, especially in terms of budget. Nollywood is much bigger. The stories and audience are also different. Kannywood stories are usually weak and focused on love, marriage and other things that are not the kind of narratives we should be pushing. Even when you see a Nollywood film that is not very strong, you will still notice the standard is high. The difference also comes from the audience and market.
Given the sensitive nature of your character and the film’s portrayal of an ongoing national crisis, how have people in the North responded to it?
At first, we got more negative reactions because some bloggers and people with large followership saw the trailer and concluded that the film was attacking Hausa Fulani people. One of them was the former SSA to President Buhari. I had to reply that he could not judge a two-hour film based on a 60 second trailer. It was not professional.
Many people complained at first but, after some time, more people saw the film for what it was and began to talk about it the right way. It is simply the raw truth about what is happening in Nigeria. A day or two after the release, the positive reactions overshadowed the negative ones. I was not sad or afraid because it showed that the message was passed.
What more should we expect from you?
I have some big projects coming next year. They are Nollywood stories shot in Hausa, not Kannywood. One is Akwati (The Box), a political thriller. Another is Hussain, a tragedy; and the third is an emotionally fantasy drama titled Jaru Road.
As an actor, I want to be in mainstream Nollywood, not seen only as a Northern actor. That is what I want to achieve now. I do not want to be stereotyped. I am also trying to get someone to manage me, and I believe that will be possible next year.