The term “Buru” in Nigeria can refer to two distinct, though very small, ethnic and linguistic groups, which can sometimes be confused with the much larger and better-known Bura (or Bura-Pabir) people.

Here is a breakdown of the things to know about the Buru people (the smaller group) and the more extensive information generally available for the Bura-Pabir people (often referenced when searching for “Buru”):

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1. The Buru People (Taraba/Yobe States)

The Buru are a small ethnic group with limited available information.

• Location: Primarily found in a single village in the Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State, Nigeria. Some lists also place them in Yobe State.
• Population: They are a very small group, with a population estimate of about 1,700 people.
• Language: They speak the Buru language (classified as a Southern Bantoid language). This language is considered endangered, with a decreasing number of young speakers.
• Traditional Religion: Their primary traditional religion is animism, a belief that natural entities possess a spiritual essence.

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2. The Bura-Pabir People (Borno/Adamawa/Yobe States)

The Bura (or Bura-Pabir) people are a more prominent ethnic group in Northeast Nigeria, and their detailed culture is often the subject of search results for “Buru.”

• Self-Designation: They call themselves Bura or Bura-Pabir. The Hausa people call them Babur or Baburawa.
• Location: They are mainly located in the southern parts of Borno State (specifically Biu, Hawul, Kwaya Kusar, and Shani Local Government Areas) and also in parts of Adamawa and Yobe States.
• History & Origin (Bura-Pabir):
  • The Bura people existed before the arrival of Yamta-ra-Wala in the mid-16th century.
  • Yamta-ra-Wala defeated the Bura and established the Biu kingdom.
  • Intermarriage between Yamta-ra-Wala’s people and the indigenous Bura created the Bura-Pabir group. The Pabir are considered the ruling class (the Babur) in the Biu Emirate.
• Traditional Ruler: Their traditional ruler is the Emir of Biu, whose title was historically known as Kuthli or Kuhyi.
• Language: They speak the Bura language, which belongs to the Chadic group of the Afro-Asiatic language family.
• Culture & Traditions:
  • Occupation: Historically, they have been farmers, known for stock breeding (dwarf cattle, horses, donkeys, sheep, and goats).
  • Festivals: The main traditional festival is the maize harvest festival, which must be performed before the fresh corn can be eaten.
  • Marriage: Their marriage custom begins when a female child is born. A suitor shows his interest by leaving a leafy branch in the mother’s hut. If accepted, he gives gifts and works on the girl’s father’s farm until she comes of age. A traditional part of the process involves the suitor and his friends organizing to ‘capture’ the girl and bring her to his house before the final marriage payments and ceremony.
  • Religion: Traditionally, they practiced Hyel-taku (Animism), with a belief in the supreme God called Hyel and a personal god named Haptu. Islam became predominant after its arrival around the 1920s, with Christianity also later introduced. The estimated religious breakdown is roughly 78% Muslim, 20% Christian, and 2% Traditional.