Senior security stakeholders in Nigeria have strongly condemned ethnic profiling, warning that such narratives pose a serious threat to national cohesion and effective security management.
The position was reached at the end of a two-day high-level conference held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja. The event was convened by Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited and the Whiteink Institute for Strategy Education and Research, with support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under its SPRiNG programme.
Participants included top government officials, military leaders, lawmakers, and international partners, all of whom examined the risks associated with identity-based narratives in security discourse. Among those present were the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, and senior military and legislative figures.
In a joint statement, Founder of WISER, Saleh Bala, and Managing Director of BSIL, Kabir Adamu, stressed that the misuse of language in describing security threats often fuels division and undermines trust. They warned that generalisations linking specific ethnic or cultural identities to criminality could worsen tensions and weaken ongoing security efforts.
According to them, the way threats are framed has far-reaching implications. Careless or imprecise language, they noted, can deepen suspicion among communities, while responsible communication can promote understanding and support peacebuilding initiatives.
The conference featured multiple sessions addressing the root causes of identity-based violence, the legal consequences of mischaracterisation, and the role of media narratives in shaping public perception. Participants also discussed how inaccurate labelling of armed groups could hinder intelligence gathering and operational effectiveness.
A key outcome of the meeting was the development of two policy tools: an Anti-Ethnic Stereotyping and Profiling Toolkit, and a National Policy Brief. These documents are intended to guide security agencies, media practitioners, and policymakers on adopting more precise and non-stigmatising language.
Organisers described the initiative as a significant step toward building a more inclusive and people-centred security framework. They called on the Federal Government, state authorities, regional bodies such as ECOWAS, and civil society groups to implement the recommendations, particularly as the 2027 elections approach.
