NIGERIA: A group under the aegis of the Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria has questioned what it described as contradictions in the United States’ evolving narrative on insecurity in Nigeria, particularly regarding allegations linking Fulani communities to widespread violence across the country.
In a rejoinder signed by Ibrahim Barkindo Chubado and made available to journalists on Thursday, the group expressed concern over what it termed the United States’ “back-and-forth posture” on Nigeria’s security crisis, especially on issues relating to Fulani herders and claims of “Fulani militancy.”
The group argued that earlier assessments reportedly linked to the US government had cautioned against portraying the Fulani ethnic group as the singular source of insecurity in Nigeria or branding the entire ethnic nationality as enemies of the state.
According to the statement, previous US reports had rejected sweeping accusations against Fulani communities, describing such narratives as politically motivated and lacking factual balance, while warning against ethnic profiling capable of escalating communal tensions.
The group recalled that such assessments emerged during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, when public narratives frequently linked kidnapping, banditry, and violent crimes to Fulani identity and Islam.
It said the trend fueled hostility against innocent Fulani communities, particularly in parts of Southern Nigeria and the North-Central region.
The statement alleged that several Fulani settlements came under attack during the period, with businesses destroyed and cattle killed as a result of retaliatory sentiments driven by ethnic profiling.
It further noted that conflicts involving herders and farmers had often been oversimplified in public discourse, despite repeated findings by security experts pointing to deeper triggers such as land disputes, environmental pressures, grazing route encroachment, and local political tensions.
Referencing recurring crises in Benue, Plateau and Taraba states, the group maintained that many Fulani families in the affected communities had lived there for generations and should not be treated as outsiders.
It added that earlier assessments had reportedly concluded that the herder-farmer crisis was fundamentally economic and environmental rather than purely ethnic or religious, with recommendations centred on ranching reforms, fair land-use policies, stronger law enforcement, and conflict-resolution mechanisms.
The group, however, lamented that such perspectives were often dismissed by ethnic activists and separatist elements, especially in parts of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.
It also cited several criminal incidents in Ekiti, Ondo and Edo states where initial accusations against Fulani groups were later contradicted by findings from security agencies.
The statement specifically referenced the 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, arguing that public reactions to the incident highlighted the dangers of premature ethnic conclusions.
It noted that Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters later linked the attack to criminal elements associated with an Ebira subgroup and not Fulani communities.
Despite that clarification, the group alleged that some Fulani residents in Ondo State were arrested and profiled following widespread accusations that the attack was a coordinated assault on Yoruba communities.
The rejoinder also expressed concern over recent reports allegedly linked to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which reportedly claimed that about 30,000 armed Fulani militants were responsible for widespread insecurity in Nigeria.
The group described the claim as unfairly stereotyping millions of law-abiding Fulani citizens and warned that such assertions could worsen ethnic tensions across the country.
It argued that international reports often focus disproportionately on alleged Fulani-related violence while paying less attention to other armed non-state actors operating in Nigeria.
Among such groups, it listed Yoruba Nation agitators in the South-West and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in the South-East.
According to the statement, Nigerian authorities have repeatedly accused IPOB and ESN of attacks on security personnel and violent enforcement of sit-at-home orders, while courts have designated IPOB a terrorist organisation.
The group said perceived imbalances in international reporting had fueled suspicions among some Nigerians that foreign powers may not be entirely neutral in their interpretation of Nigeria’s security challenges.
It linked such concerns to broader geopolitical developments across Africa, including rising anti-Western sentiments in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and the Republic of Niger.
While acknowledging the gravity of insecurity in Nigeria, the group insisted that the crisis could not be reduced to one ethnic group, religion or region.
It maintained that banditry, terrorism, separatist violence, organised kidnapping and communal conflicts involved actors from diverse backgrounds.
The group therefore called for balanced reporting, responsible political rhetoric and evidence-based security assessments that avoid ethnic profiling.
It also urged Nigerian authorities and international actors to promote justice, fairness and national unity in addressing the country’s security challenges.
“Nigeria’s future cannot be built on ethnic scapegoating, mutual suspicion, or divisive narratives,” the statement said.
