Fulani people to US Panel: Stop portraying us as sole source of insecurity in Nigeria

By Dapo Akinrefon

ABUJA — The Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria has urged international actors, particularly the United States, to avoid portraying the Fulani ethnic group as the singular source of insecurity in Nigeria, warning that such narratives risk deepening ethnic tensions in the country.

The group raised the concern in a statement on Thursday signed by Ibrahim Barkindo Chubado, in reaction to what it described as contradictions in US reporting on Nigeria’s security challenges, especially claims linked to Fulani herders and alleged “Fulani militancy.”

It questioned what it called a recurring shift in the United States’ position on insecurity in Nigeria, particularly reports that have drawn attention to Fulani communities in discussions on violence and banditry.

According to the group, earlier US assessments had cautioned against broad generalisations and ethnic profiling, warning that such narratives could escalate communal tensions.

It recalled that such reports emerged during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, when insecurity debates were often linked to Fulani identity or religion.

The group said such framing contributed to hostility against innocent Fulani communities in parts of southern and north-central Nigeria, leading to attacks on settlements, destruction of property and loss of livestock.

It argued that conflicts involving herders and farmers had often been oversimplified in public discourse, despite security experts attributing them to land disputes, environmental pressures, grazing routes and local political tensions.

The group cited recurring crises in Benue, Plateau and Taraba States, insisting that many Fulani families in those areas had lived there for generations and should not be treated as outsiders.

It further maintained that previous assessments had described the herder–farmer crisis as largely economic and environmental rather than ethnic or religious in nature, recommending reforms such as ranching, land-use policy adjustments and stronger law enforcement.

The statement also referenced past criminal incidents in Ekiti, Ondo and Edo States, noting that initial public accusations against Fulani groups were later disputed by security findings.

On the 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, the group said early reactions wrongly attributed the incident to Fulani herders, adding that Defence Headquarters later linked the attack to criminal elements associated with an Ebira subgroup.

Despite this clarification, it alleged that some Fulani residents in Ondo State were still subjected to arrest and profiling following the incident.

The group also expressed concern over reports attributed to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which allegedly claimed that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants were responsible for insecurity in Nigeria.

It described the claim as “unfair stereotyping” that could worsen ethnic relations, arguing that insecurity in Nigeria involves multiple actors across different regions and backgrounds.

The group said banditry, terrorism, separatist violence, kidnapping and communal clashes could not be attributed to any single ethnic group or religion.

It urged balanced reporting, evidence-based analysis and caution against narratives capable of inflaming ethnic divisions.

The statement also called on Nigerian authorities and international partners to promote fairness, justice and national unity in addressing security challenges.

“Nigeria’s future cannot be built on ethnic scapegoating, mutual suspicion or divisive narratives,” it added.

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