By Dapo Akinrefon

A group, The Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria, on Thursday, raised concerns over what it described as contradictions in the United States’ narrative regarding insecurity in Nigeria, particularly on issues relating to Fulani herders and allegations of “Fulani militancy.”

The group, in a statement by Ibrahim Barkindo Chubado, questioned what it called the repeated “back-and-forth posture” of the United States on Nigeria’s security challenges.

It, however, warned against portraying the Fulani ethnic group as either the singular source of insecurity in Nigeria or enemy of the country.

The group claimed that previous US reports rejected sweeping accusations against Fulani communities, describing such narratives as “politically motivated and lacking factual balance.”

It added that those reports also warned against ethnic profiling and generalisations capable of escalating communal tensions.

It recalled that those earlier assessments emerged during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, when public narratives around insecurity frequently linked incidents of kidnapping, banditry, and violent crimes to Fulani identity or Islam.

The group said: “This trend contributed to widespread hostility toward innocent Fulani communities in parts of Southern Nigeria and the North Central region.

“Several Fulani settlements were attacked during that period, while businesses were destroyed and cattle killed because of ethnic profiling and misdirected retaliatory sentiments.

“Conflicts involving herders and farmers were often oversimplified in public discourse, despite security experts repeatedly pointing to underlying causes such as land disputes, environmental pressures, grazing routes, and local political tensions.”

The group particularly referenced recurring crises in Benue, Plateau, and Taraba states, insisting that “many Fulani families in those areas had lived there for generations and should not be treated as outsiders.”

It further argued that previous US assessments “had reportedly concluded that the herder-farmer crisis in Nigeria was fundamentally economic and environmental rather than purely ethnic or religious.”

“The reports allegedly recommended ranching reforms, fair land-use policies, stronger law enforcement, and conflict-resolution mechanisms as long-term solutions.

“Such perspectives were often rejected by ethnic activists and separatist elements, especially in parts of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.”

Citing several criminal incidents in states including Ekiti, Ondo, and Edo, where early accusations against Fulani groups, it said were later “contradicted by findings from security agencies.”

On the 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, the group argued that “public reactions to the incident demonstrated the dangers of premature ethnic conclusions.

“Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters later linked the attack to criminal elements associated with an Ebira subgroup and not Fulani communities.”

Despite those findings, the group alleged that some Fulani residents in Ondo State were arrested and profiled following public accusations that the attack represented a coordinated assault on Yoruba communities.

The group 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.

It said: “Such claims unfairly stereotype millions of law-abiding Fulani citizens and risk worsening ethnic tensions across the country.

“The international reports sometimes focus disproportionately on alleged Fulani-related violence while paying less attention to other armed non-state actors operating in Nigeria.”

The group also 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 severity of insecurity in Nigeria, the group maintained that the “crisis could not be reduced to one ethnic group, religion, or region.”

It said: “Banditry, terrorism, separatist violence, organised kidnapping, and communal conflicts involved actors from diverse backgrounds.

“We call for balanced reporting, responsible political rhetoric, and evidence-based security assessments that avoid ethnic profiling.

“We also urge 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 group added.