FG, CSOs Validate Anti-Stereotyping Toolkit For Media, Security Reporting In Nigeria
FG, CSOs validate anti-stereotyping toolkit urging media and security agencies to avoid ethnic profiling and prejudicial reporting.
FG, CSOs validate anti-stereotyping toolkit urging media and security agencies to avoid ethnic profiling and prejudicial reporting.
The Federal Government and civil society organisations have validated the Draft Anti-Stereotyping and Ethnic Profiling Toolkit for Media and Security Reporting in Nigeria, urging the media, military and other security agencies to avoid stereotypes, ethnic profiling and prejudicial labels that could deepen social divisions and undermine national cohesion.
Speaking during the validation meeting, President of the WhiteInk Institute for Strategy Education and Research (WISER), Brigadier General Saleh Bala (rtd), stressed that both the media and security institutions play critical roles in shaping public perception and maintaining public trust.
According to him, the language, narratives and labels used in reporting and official communication can either foster understanding, inclusion and peace or reinforce stereotypes, deepen divisions and fuel mistrust among communities.
“Nigeria’s diversity remains one of its greatest strengths,” he said, noting that greater responsibility is required when communicating issues relating to security, conflict, ethnicity, religion, gender and regional identities.
He added that the toolkit provides practical guidance for identifying and avoiding harmful stereotypes and prejudicial narratives.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr Joseph Ochogwu, represented by Dr Gerald Okafor, described the exercise as a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening peace, security and responsible communication.
He said it reflects a commitment to addressing identity-based conflicts while promoting mutual understanding, peaceful coexistence and sustainable development.
Providing an overview of the project, Managing Director of Beacon Security and Intelligence Limited (BSIL), Dr Kabiru Adamu, said the toolkit emerged from extensive research and consultations designed to address stereotyping and ethnic profiling in public discourse and security operations across West Africa.
Stakeholders concluded that responsible communication, free from stereotypes and ethnic profiling, remains essential to advancing peace, security, social cohesion and national development in Nigeria.
