The federal government, security experts and stakeholders have called for an end to ethnic profiling, stereotyping, and prejudicial narratives in security operations and media reporting, stating that such practices encourage divisions, undermine public trust, and threaten national unity.
They made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the “Expert Validation Meeting of the Draft Anti-Stereotyping and Ethnic Profiling Toolkits for Media and Security Reporting in Nigeria.”
While speaking on the toolkit development process, the managing director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited, Dr Kabiru Adamu, said the project emerged from concerns about the impact of stereotyping, ethnic profiling, and imprecise terminology on security outcomes, public trust, and social cohesion.
He explained that the Anti-Ethnic Profiling and Stereotyping Toolkits are products of extensive research, stakeholder consultations, and validation exercises conducted under a project titled “Contextualising Definitions and Terminologies to Address Stereotyping and Ethnic Profiling in Discourses and Security Operations in West Africa.”
According to him, the project involved desktop research, key informant interviews, stakeholder consultations, a virtual seminar, and a national conference held in Abuja in April 2026.
Adamu noted that findings from the consultations revealed that ethnically coded language often contributes to mistrust between communities and security institutions, reducing cooperation and intelligence sharing.
He cited expressions such as “Fulani herdsmen,” “Fulani bandits,” and “farmer-herder conflict” as examples of labels that frequently oversimplify complex security realities and obscure the diverse actors and criminal networks involved.
Speaking at the meeting, president and founder of the WhiteInk Institute for Strategy Education and Research (WISER), retired Brigadier General Saleh Bala, said the language and narratives employed by both security institutions and the media have significant implications for peace, security, and national unity.
He noted that while the media plays a crucial role in shaping public perception and strengthening democratic governance, security institutions are equally responsible for safeguarding national security while maintaining public trust.
According to him, the words and labels used in reporting and official communication can either promote understanding, inclusion, and peace or reinforce stereotypes, encourage ethnic profiling, deepen divisions, and fuel mistrust among communities.
“Nigeria’s diversity remains one of its greatest strengths. However, it demands a heightened sense of responsibility in the way issues relating to security, conflict, ethnicity, religion, gender, regional identities, and vulnerable groups are reported and communicated,” Bala said.
Also speaking, the director-general of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr Joseph Ochogwu, described the validation exercise as a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening peace, security, and responsible communication in Nigeria.
Represented by the director of Internal Conflict Prevention and Resolution, Dr Gerald Okafor, Ochogwu commended Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited (BSIL) and WISER for their commitment and vision in developing the toolkits.
