WAKE UP: Selective outrage, collective blame and Nigeria’s dangerous ethnic narratives
The same principle applies nationally. No ethnic group in Nigeria is collectively innocent, and none is collectively criminal. Fulani communities have suffered deadly attacks just as farming communities have suffered attacks attributed to armed herders. Yoruba communities have produced both victims and perpetrators of crime. The same is true of Igbo, Tiv, Berom, Hausa, Kanuri, Ijaw and virtually every other major ethnic nationality. Criminal responsibility belongs to individuals and organised criminal groups—not to millions of law-abiding citizens who happen to share their ethnicity.
Nigeria’s long-running security crisis has produced enormous human suffering across every region of the country. Yet, alongside the violence itself, another dangerous trend has taken root: the tendency to assign collective guilt to entire ethnic groups for crimes committed by individuals. This habit has deepened mistrust, fueled prejudice and undermined efforts to build a united nation. If Nigeria is to overcome its security challenges, it must reject ethnic stereotyping regardless of which group is being targeted.
One of the strongest criticisms raised by many Fulani advocates is that criminal activities involving individuals identified as Fulani often receive extensive publicity, while similar crimes committed by members of other ethnic groups attract far less attention or are quickly stripped of their ethnic identity. They argue that this imbalance has created a perception that criminality is uniquely associated with the Fulani, despite the fact that kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and communal violence have involved suspects from virtually every ethnic background in Nigeria. Whether this perception is entirely accurate or not, it raises legitimate questions about consistency in public discourse and media reporting.
Several incidents are frequently cited to support this argument. In Oyo and Ekiti states, for example, there have been kidnapping cases in which suspects reportedly turned out to be Yoruba. Similarly, Governor Seyi Makinde’s statement that the killing of a prominent figure in Oyo was politically motivated contrasted with earlier claims that Fulani herders were responsible. Critics argue that corrections or official findings often receive significantly less attention than the initial accusations. If this is true, it points to a broader challenge in journalism: allegations frequently dominate headlines, while subsequent clarifications rarely receive comparable prominence. Responsible journalism requires equal commitment to both.
The conversation becomes even more sensitive when discussing Plateau State. The state’s history is marked by decades of bloody communal conflicts in which thousands of Christians and Muslims, Berom, Fulani and other ethnic communities have lost their lives. Events such as the killing of retired Major General Idris Alkali, repeated communal clashes and numerous retaliatory attacks remain painful chapters in Nigeria’s history. These tragedies demonstrate that violence in Plateau has been cyclical and complex rather than one-sided. Reducing such conflicts to a simple narrative of one permanently guilty ethnic group and another permanently innocent one ignores historical realities and risks perpetuating hostility.
The same principle applies nationally. No ethnic group in Nigeria is collectively innocent, and none is collectively criminal. Fulani communities have suffered deadly attacks just as farming communities have suffered attacks attributed to armed herders. Yoruba communities have produced both victims and perpetrators of crime. The same is true of Igbo, Tiv, Berom, Hausa, Kanuri, Ijaw and virtually every other major ethnic nationality. Criminal responsibility belongs to individuals and organised criminal groups—not to millions of law-abiding citizens who happen to share their ethnicity.
The media also has a crucial responsibility. Journalists must avoid amplifying unverified ethnic narratives simply because they attract attention. They should apply the same standards of verification, context and follow-up to every story, irrespective of the ethnic identity of suspects or victims. Corrections deserve visibility equal to initial reports, and facts should always take precedence over assumptions.
Ultimately, Nigeria cannot defeat insecurity while simultaneously nurturing ethnic suspicion. Lasting peace requires justice for every victim, accountability for every offender and equal protection under the law for every citizen. Governments must prosecute crimes without fear or favour, while political leaders, religious figures and opinion moulders should resist rhetoric that paints entire communities as enemies. The fight should be against criminals, not against ethnic identities. Only by rejecting collective blame and embracing equal justice can Nigeria begin to heal its divisions and build the trust necessary for lasting national unity.
