Adamu: National Policy on Combating Stereotyping, Ethnic Profiling Underway

Linus Aleke in Abuja

A national policy on combating stereotyping and ethnic profiling in security discourse in Nigeria is underway, Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited (BSIL) and the Whiteink Institute for Strategy Education and Research (WISER) have revealed.

In a joint statement issued at the end of a two-day high-level conference on ethnic profiling and stereotyping in security discourse and operations across West Africa, the Managing Director of BSIL, Dr. Kabir Adamu, disclosed: “We are producing an Anti-ethnic Stereotyping and Profiling Toolkit and a National Policy Brief. These documents will provide clear guidance for security agencies, the media and policymakers on the use of non-stigmatising and operationally effective language.”

According to Adamu, a key outcome of the conference is the development of these two major policy tools. 

He described the conference as a critical step towards building a more inclusive approach to security in Nigeria and across the West African region. 

“By addressing harmful labelling, we are laying the foundation for a more inclusive, proactive and people-centred security framework,” he said.

Speaking at the close of the conference, the Founder and President of WISER, Brigadier General Saleh Bala (rtd), called on governments, regional bodies and other stakeholders to support the implementation of the conference outcomes.

“We urge the federal government, state governments, ECOWAS, civil society organisations and development partners to take ownership of these recommendations and extend them across subnational levels, especially as we approach the 2027 elections,” he said.

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,” he added.

Earlier, the organisers noted that the initiative was designed to confront harmful narratives that undermine national unity and effective security operations. 

They emphasised that flawed narratives and generalisations often equate specific cultural identities with threats, stressing that the conference seeks to promote accurate, responsible and context-based language in both security operations and public discourse.

They further explained that discussions across six sessions focused on the roots of identity-based violence, the legal implications of terminology, the role of the media in shaping conflict narratives and the operational consequences of how armed actors are classified. 

They stressed that the way threats are described can either promote trust or deepen division, urging the adoption of language that supports peacebuilding and respects human dignity.

The conference, held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, Abuja, was supported by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office under its Strengthening Peacebuilding and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme, in partnership with key national institutions.