Kidnappings: Oyo stakeholders reject ethnic profiling and seek stronger security collaboration

Leaders of Fulani communities, security agencies, farmers, traditional institutions and government representatives in Oyo State have called for greater collaboration to address kidnappings, farmer-herder clashes and other security threats, warning against ethnic profiling of the Fulani over crimes committed by individuals.

The resolution was reached at a stakeholders meeting on peace and security convened by the leadership of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Oyo State and hosted by the Oyo West Local Government.

The meeting attracted representatives from the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Amotekun Corps, traditional institutions, farmers associations and Fulani leaders from Oyo State and across the South West.

Speaking at the meeting, the MACBAN Chairman and Oyo State Convener, Alhaji Ibrahim Jiji, said the meeting was organized to address growing security concerns and strengthen peaceful co-existence between Fulani communities and host communities.

He said while the Oyo State Government has demonstrated commitment to peacekeeping, residents also have a responsibility to support security efforts through cooperation and timely intelligence sharing.

Jiji lamented what he described as the growing tendency to associate kidnapping and other criminal activities with the entire Fulani ethnic group, insisting that law-abiding Fulani should not be judged by the actions of criminals.

“We are not criminals. We are not kidnappers. If we have a Fulani who is a criminal, we will not hide him. Likewise, if there is a criminal among the Yoruba communities that host us, they should not hide him. Only then can we ensure peace,” he said.

He also expressed concern over the activities of suspected foreign cattle ranchers allegedly operating in some communities, urging the government and security agencies to identify and deal with such elements.

According to him, Fulani leaders are willing to provide information on suspicious persons and criminal activities to security agencies.

Jiji also appealed to the government to address grazing challenges, saying access to designated grazing areas remains important for livestock owners and urging authorities to ensure Fulani citizens enjoy equal economic opportunities.

Also, the representative of Oyo State Farmers Council, Alhaji Oladeji Emmanuel, said farmers and herdsmen are not enemies but partners whose livelihoods depend on each other.

He described most disputes between the two groups as economic disagreements arising from competition over land and livestock rather than ethnic hostility.

“Farmers and Fulani are not enemies. The problems between them are economic,” Emmanuel said.

He urged traditional rulers and local government authorities to promptly respond to complaints from both farmers and herders, while warning that some individuals deliberately exploit communal tensions for personal gain.

On his part, the National Chairman of MACBAN, Alhaji Baba Othman Ngelzarma, represented by AB Danmasani, commended the peaceful relationship between the Fulani communities and their hosts in Oyo State.

He urged wealthy Fulani members to support vulnerable members of their communities and called on traditional rulers and community leaders to continue working with security agencies to sustain peace.

Representing the Chairman of Oyo West Local Government, Ambassador Muyideen Adeyemi stressed the need to more actively involve traditional rulers in conflict resolution, stressing that monarchs continue to have influence in rural communities.

He advised MACBAN leaders across the state to maintain closer ties with local government chairmen to strengthen grassroots peacebuilding initiatives.

Police also used the meeting to warn against collective guilt.

Representing the Commissioner of Police, Afijio Divisional Police Officer, CSP Mojid Lawal, said investigations showed that crime cuts across ethnic groups, cautioning residents against the Fulani stereotype.

According to him, while some arrested suspects were Fulfulde speakers, police investigations had also linked some Yoruba individuals to criminal activities, including allegedly aiding and abetting the displacement of unknown persons in the communities.

Lawal called on Fulani leaders to monitor young cattle herders more closely, warning that entrusting children with large herds could expose them to security risks.

He cited an incident in which a traditional Fulani leader intervened after a farmer was allegedly stabbed during a dispute, producing suspicion and reportedly spending over a million dollars on the victim’s medical treatment.

Likewise, the Oyo West Divisional Police Officer, CSP Aroloye Adesiji, commended the Sarki Fulani in the area for maintaining constant communication with the police and promptly reporting suspicious movements.

He noted that many farmers deliberately invited livestock to graze on harvested farms because animal waste improved soil fertility, describing the relationship between farmers and herders as economically interconnected.

The Department of State Services has commended the Oyo West Local Government for supporting regular community engagement meetings, urging Fulani leaders to actively participate in such forums to improve communication with security agencies.

The Amotekun Corps also called for greater safety education among Fulani communities, particularly among cattle herders, insisting that no ethnic group should be criminalized due to the actions of a few individuals.

Speaking on behalf of the Sarki Fulani of Lagos and the Chairman of the South Western Council of Fulani Chiefs, Farooq Gajo said criminality has no ethnic or religious identity.

However, he said fear of discrimination had discouraged some Fulani from approaching security agencies, urging authorities to treat all citizens fairly to build trust and improve intelligence gathering.

Meanwhile, a Fulani community leader, Aminat Idris, expressed concern over what she described as attacks on Fulani settlements and the inadequate public attention given to such incidents.

It said two Fulani residents were killed while another was kidnapped during an attack on a Fulani settlement in Ago-Are, Oyo State, on July 20.

“No one helps us to talk openly about these things. The media doesn’t report all these evils that happen to us because they see us as nothing,” he said.

Idris urged the government, security agencies and the media to ensure that victims of violence receive equal attention regardless of their ethnic origin.

At the end of the meeting, participants resolved to strengthen collaboration between security agencies, traditional rulers, local governments, farmers and Fulani leaders to curb insecurity.

They also agreed on the need for regular dialogue, timely reporting of suspicious activities, respect for each other’s property and rejection of ethnic profiling as part of efforts to prevent local disputes from escalating into larger security crises.

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