Top law enforcement officials denounce racial blaming, call for swift government intervention to restore calm

In a significant move to combat divisive security narratives, prominent Nigerian security experts from Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited and the Whiteink Institute for Strategy Education and Research concluded a two-day conference at the National Counter Terrorism Centre in Abuja, strongly condemning ethnic profiling as a major threat to national unity.

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The high-stakes gathering, supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s SPRiNG programme, brought together key figures including Maj. Gen. A.G. Laka, Information Minister Mohammed Idris, Women Affairs Minister Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, and Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu.

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Founder and President of WISER, Brig. Gen. Saleh Bala, and Managing Director of BSIL, Dr. Kabir Adamu, stated that the conference aimed to challenge harmful narratives that undermine national unity and effective security operations, emphasizing the need for precise language that promotes understanding and trust.

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According to Brig. Gen. Bala and Dr. Adamu, flawed narratives often equate specific cultural identities with threats, and the way threats are described can have real consequences, either promoting understanding or deepening division and suspicion.

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The conference featured over six gruelling sessions, where participants examined the roots of identity-based violence, the legal pitfalls of sloppy terminology, and the role of media in stoking conflicts, ultimately yielding two key deliverables: an Anti-Ethnic Stereotyping and Profiling Toolkit and a National Policy Brief.

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Dr. Adamu hailed the conference as a critical step toward inclusive security, while Brig. Gen. Bala called on federal and state governments, ECOWAS, civil society, and partners to adopt the recommendations, particularly with the 2027 elections looming.

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Dr. Adamu noted that the conference produced two major policy tools: the Anti-ethnic Stereotyping and Profiling Toolkit and the National Policy Brief, which will provide guidance for security agencies, media, and policymakers on using non-stigmatising language.

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By addressing harmful labelling, the conference laid the foundation for a more inclusive, proactive, and people-centred security framework, according to Dr. Adamu, who stressed that the resulting documents are living frameworks to rebuild trust.

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The conference was backed by strong institutional partnerships with the National Counterterrorism Centre, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, and the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, signalling zero tolerance for rhetoric that erodes cohesion.

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Brig. Gen. Bala urged governments, regional bodies, and stakeholders to support the implementation of the conference outcomes, particularly as the 2027 elections approach, and to extend the recommendations across subnational levels.

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The finalised toolkit and policy brief will be submitted to relevant institutions to serve as practical guides for improving security communication and strengthening national cohesion, with the goal of ensuring that these tools guide how communities communicate, act, and build trust.

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Attendees included Maj. Gen. A.G Laka, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris, Minister of Women Affairs Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, and Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, as well as Senators Yahaya Abdullahi and Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, and diplomats from Rwanda and Angola.