What if the victims were not Hausa-Fulani?

Death sentences are passed based on their accent, looks and religion. They are at risk of being killed at any point, whether in their communities or when travelling. The media is complicit in helping put the target on the back of every Hausa-Fulani person, making it hard for them to move freely within their own […]

Death sentences are passed based on their accent, looks and religion. They are at risk of being killed at any point, whether in their communities or when travelling. The media is complicit in helping put the target on the back of every Hausa-Fulani person, making it hard for them to move freely within their own country. And if this is going to be the new norm—slaughtering Northerners because of their religion and ethnicity—then we must question the unity of Nigeria.

The recent horrific massacre of 12 people from Basawa Ward in Sabon-Gari and Unguwan Rimi in Kudan is one of many incidents that can be cited as examples. These were innocent Nigerians travelling on a federal motorway after attending a wedding. The chaos would have been unimaginable if innocent people travelling across a Hausa-Fulani community were killed for their accent, looks or religion.

Remember, the victims were not accused of any crime, except that they were Hausa-Fulani—Northern Muslims.   This massacre mirrors other killings in Plateau State in recent years. These killings must never be forgotten, because those who do not know history are bound to repeat it. In 2021, 23 travellers were killed in a prearranged ambush while returning to Kwara after attending an annual Muslim gathering in Bauchi.

In 2018, the disappearance of Major‑General Mohammed Alkali led to an investigation that revealed further atrocities in the state. Two other vehicles were found in a pond with the late General’s car. Those cars had belonged to travellers who had disappeared in 2013 and June 2018. And let’s not forget the 2011 incident, when Berom youths attacked and cannibalised Muslims going to Eid prayers in Jos. These victims are yet to see justice. And the conclusion is that this Mangu massacre will be the same.

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The victims did nothing wrong by travelling across Plateau State and other Middle Belt areas. If they were wrong, then the Nigerian Constitution—which allows freedom of movement—is wrong. And if that is wrong, then our founding fathers must have been delusional in agreeing to the union that formed Nigeria. They were not. But the media will quietly move on—until the killings are repeated. Yes, the media is complicit. They consistently avoid naming the tribes of perpetrators unless they are Fulani.

This is not limited to Sahara Reporters, The Cable, Arise TV or Channels TV. Even Daily Trust Media, which many consider a northern paper, avoided mentioning the ethnicity of the Mangu killers.

It would have been different if the attackers were Fulani gunmen. Consider this: in any farmer-herder clash or killing in Plateau or Benue, the media always link it to the Fulani. Whether it’s gunmen, bandits, kidnappers or terrorists, they attach the tribal label. But when the killers are from other groups, they suddenly grow shy.

They are quick to call attackers Fulani herdsmen or Fulani bandits, but why the silence on the Mangu killers?   There’s only one explanation: the media has chosen its villain—the Fulani. They suppress the identity of other perpetrators unless they are Fulani. And this conditioning has been ongoing for nearly two decades. One column will not undo that indoctrination. I call it indoctrination because many Nigerians have been led to believe that Northern Muslims are driving an ethnic cleansing agenda. The media has fuelled this narrative.

Just last week, President Tinubu entertained such a claim from the Tor-Tiv, who alleged that the Middle Belt is experiencing ethnic cleansing. Rather than focus on the real issue—the failure of the security services—the media reported it without fact-checking, helping to keep Nigerians misled.

In truth, Hausa-Fulani communities—who are accused of ethnic cleansing—are not even safe in the North. Hundreds of civilians were bombed in Tudun Biri and Rukubi. In Zamfara, entire villages have been overrun; residents only return to their homes during the day. In many places—from Borno to Sokoto, with Katsina, Kaduna and Kebbi—bandits and terrorists act as lords. They kill people at will and commit all forms of atrocities against the vulnerable. Communities are forced to pay taxes to them to survive. Yet, no one calls this ethnic cleansing.

On the contrary, while the Tor-Tiv speaks of ethnic cleansing—claims publicly acknowledged by the president—the Hausa-Fulani do not indulge in conspiracy theories. The Northern leaders deal in facts and hold the government to account. As it stands, the North is demanding that the government secure its communities and reduce its economic hardship.

Another troubling pattern is the pressure placed on Hausa-Fulani elders to condemn every crime, especially those committed in the Middle Belt. This is a veiled demand for an apology. It is as if Northerners must accept collective guilt for the government’s failure to protect lives. And when Hausa-Fulani leaders issue statements of condemnation, they are accused of taking responsibility for the acts.

In contrast, when Northerners are killed, no one demands condemnations from southern or Middle Belt elders. In the case of the Mangu massacre, aside from the governor, I have yet to hear any community leader, public intellectual, or activist speak out. Their silence feels like quiet approval. And again, the media stays silent—no headlines asking for accountability. Once more, we must reassess our place in this country.

These killings will not bring justice, peace, or development. Nor will they create any form of ethnic supremacy. As President Obama said in 2013: “In our time, we must confront bigotry and hatred in all of its forms. None of that has a place in the civilised world—not in the classrooms of children, not in the corridors of power. And let us never forget the link between the two. For our sons and daughters are not born to hate; they are taught to hate…” We must not teach hate. Not for power. Not for revenge. Not in the name of unity.