Experts seek end to ethnic profiling in security operations, urge adoption of new policy tools
Security experts, policymakers, and stakeholders have called for urgent action to curb ethnic profiling and stereotyping in Nigeria’s security operations and public discourse, warning that such practices undermine national unity
- ...conference highlights dangers of harmful narratives in security discourse
- ...calls for government, ECOWAS support ahead of 2027 elections
- By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja
Security experts, policymakers, and stakeholders have called for urgent action to curb ethnic profiling and stereotyping in Nigeria’s security operations and public discourse, warning that such practices undermine national unity and effective counterterrorism efforts.
The call followed the conclusion of a two-day high-level conference organised by Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited (BSIL) in collaboration with Whiteink Institute for Strategy Education and Research (WISER), held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Abuja, from April 1 to 2.
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At the close of the conference, Founder and President of WISER, Saleh Bala, and Managing Director of BSIL, Kabir Adamu, said the initiative was aimed at addressing harmful narratives that weaken both security operations and social cohesion.
“Flawed narratives and lazy categorisations often equate specific cultural identities with threats. This conference is a deliberate effort to correct that by promoting accurate, responsible, and context-based use of language in both security operations and public discourse,” they said.
The experts noted that discussions at the conference, which featured six intensive sessions, examined the root causes of identity-based violence, the legal implications of terminology, the media’s role in shaping conflict narratives, and the operational consequences of how armed groups are described.
They stressed that the use of language in security communication has far-reaching implications.
“The way we describe threats has real consequences. It can either promote understanding and trust or deepen division and suspicion. We must choose language that supports peacebuilding and respects human dignity,” they added.
A major outcome of the conference was the development of two policy instruments; an Anti-ethnic Stereotyping and Profiling Toolkit and a National Policy Brief, designed to guide security agencies, the media, and policymakers in adopting non-stigmatising and operationally effective communication.
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Dr. Adamu described the initiative as a critical step towards building a more inclusive and people-centred security framework in Nigeria and across West Africa.
“By addressing the issue of harmful labelling, we are laying the foundation for a more inclusive, proactive, and people-centred security framework,” he said.
The conference formed part of a broader peacebuilding effort supported by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under its Strengthening Peacebuilding and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme, with additional institutional backing from the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR).
Bala called on the Federal Government, state governments, regional bodies such as ECOWAS, civil society organisations, and development partners to adopt and implement the conference recommendations, particularly in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections.
“We urge stakeholders to take ownership of these recommendations and extend them across subnational levels, especially as we approach the 2027 elections,” he said.
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He added that the finalised toolkit and policy brief would be submitted to relevant institutions as practical guides for improving security communication and strengthening national cohesion.
“Our goal is to ensure that these tools are not just documents, but living frameworks that guide how we communicate, how we act, and how we build trust across communities,” Adamu said.
Dignitaries at the event included the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj. Gen. A.G. Laka; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu; Chairman, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Sen. Yahaya Abdullahi; and Director-General of IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, among others.
