By Isaac Aregbesola
Security experts have called on the government to support peacebuilding recommendations aimed at addressing ethnic profiling and stereotyping in security discourse and operations across West Africa.
The call was made at the conclusion of a two-day high-level conference organised by BEACON Security and Intelligence Limited (BSIL) in collaboration with the Whiteink Institute for Strategy Education and Research (WISER) in Abuja.
The conference brought together security experts, policymakers, civil society organisations, media practitioners, and members of the diplomatic community to examine the risks posed by the misuse of language in security and public communication.
Founder and President of WISER, Brig- Gen. Saleh Bala, and the Managing Director of BSIL, Dr Kabir Adamu, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
They said that the initiative was to confront harmful narratives undermining national unity and effective security operations.
“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.
“The discussions, spanning six intensive 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 said.
They noted that the way threats were described had real consequences, promoting either understanding or trust or deepening division and suspicion.
“The conference is part of a broader project supported by the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (UK-FCDO) under its Strengthening Peacebuilding and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme.
“A key outcome of the conference is the development of two major policy tools – 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.”
They described the conference as a critical step towards building a more inclusive approach to security in Nigeria and the wider West African region.
The organiser said that the finalised toolkit and policy brief would be submitted to relevant institutions to serve as practical guides for improving security communication and strengthening national cohesion.
The conference, which marked a significant step towards promoting peacebuilding and national cohesion in Nigeria and the West African region, was attended by top government officials, security experts, and diplomats.
The attendees include: representatives of Minister of Information and National Orientation; Women Affairs and Social Development and the Chief of Army Staff; and the Director-General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Dr Joseph Ochogwu.
Others include: National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj.Gen. Adamu Laka; Chairman, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Yahaya Abdullahi; and Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Abdulaziz Musa-Yar’Adua
Also in attendance were: Ambassador of Rwanda to Nigeria, Moses Rugema; Ambassador of Angola to Nigeria, Jose Bamoquina Zau; Team Leader, UKHC SPRING, Ukoha Ukiwo; and Conflict Adviser, FCDO, Pirmah Rimdans(NAN)
