By Tunji Ajibade
Irresponsible practices in journalism are a form of headless dance. Many engage in it—misleading, misinforming, and disuniting Nigerians—without considering the consequences. These individuals ignore the profession’s ethics, using their platforms to vent personal biases rather than report facts.
On April 8, 2025, the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, appeared on Channels TV’s Politics Today. In his introductory remarks between 8:00 and 8:05 p.m., the presenter animatedly announced that “suspected herdsmen” were responsible for the latest attacks in Plateau State. Yet by 8:40 p.m., the same presenter stated that Governor Mutfwang had said the attackers were “not herdsmen.”
Channels TV had invited Mutfwang to explain what happened. But before the governor spoke, the presenter had already announced the perpetrators. If he knew, why invite the governor? Again, on April 16, 2025, after another round of attacks, the same presenter, between 8:00 and 8:05 p.m., enthusiastically claimed herdsmen had been arrested—without attributing the claim to any source: not the police, not government officials, not eyewitnesses, nor a correspondent. No video evidence or credible reporting accompanied these pronouncements either.
Worse still, the presenter failed to clarify whether the herders he claimed were arrested were linked to the pre-April 8 or the pre-April 16 attacks. Yet, he singlehandedly ascribed guilt and confirmed ethnicity on national television—an astounding breach of broadcasting professionalism. Channels TV, a licensed TV station—not a social media platform where anyone can make baseless claims—should know better. It is surprising that the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has not taken action against such irresponsibility.
This forms the backdrop for my focus here: Many journalists have simply lost their heads when reporting attacks, routinely falling back on the lazy, dangerous narrative of “suspected Fulani herdsmen.”
Today, reporters and their editors accept this narrative without seeking deeper facts or context. Intellectual laziness has taken hold. In situations where there are multiple angles, complex histories, and competing local narratives, many simply parrot “suspected Fulani herdsmen” without investigating further.
The insecurity Nigeria faces is complex; it cannot be reduced to simplistic labels. It is irresponsible—and dangerous—to do so. Attacks across the country involve various actors, motivations, and circumstances. But lazy reporting ignores these nuances, preferring the simplistic narrative that fits their biases—and incites their audience.
The truth is, the violence we see today evolved from decades of conflict between herders and farmers. Initially, isolated clashes escalated into broader reprisals. Over time, organized armed groups emerged on both sides, with some attacks even targeting innocent herders. Criminal gangs, foreign mercenaries, and opportunists exploiting Nigeria’s porous borders now operate freely, complicating the security situation further.
Responsible journalists who venture into the field have uncovered these realities: they report of attackers whose accents and Fulfulde dialects are not Nigerian; they note the presence of foreign kidnappers from Mali or Niger; they cite criminal syndicates rather than attributing all violence to Fulani herders.
On Journalists’ Hangout (TVC News, April 18, 2025), responsible reporters pointed out that “90 percent of herders found committing crimes are not Nigerians.” Yet lazy reporters, who never leave their comfortable offices, continue to misinform the public.
In Gombe State and elsewhere in northern Nigeria, locals report that foreign herders from Niger destroy farmlands, triggering deadly clashes. But the so-called journalists remain fixated on the same tired “suspected Fulani herdsmen” narrative, encouraging ethnic profiling.
This ethnic profiling not only misleads the public; it incites hatred against innocent Fulani Nigerians, many of whom are themselves victims of criminal acts. I personally encountered Fulani herders who had lost entire herds to rustlers, desperately seeking help at cattle markets.
Even elected officials acknowledge the complexity. Governor Caleb Mutfwang, during his Channels TV appearance, emphasized the diversity of factors at play: attackers speaking with foreign accents; criminal elements with substantial financial backing; targeted violence in mineral-rich areas; organized night attacks by unknown strangers. Clearly, Plateau State’s crisis involves much more than just herders.
Yet lazy, unethical reporters prefer to ignore these complexities. They oversimplify, demonizing an entire ethnic group and fueling divisions.
The NBC must not continue to turn a blind eye to this disgraceful journalism. More importantly, Nigerians of Fulani origin should begin dragging irresponsible media outlets and journalists to court for ethnic profiling and incitement. Litigation—even if only to make them waste money defending themselves—is necessary. Those who continuously and irresponsibly spread unverified, incendiary narratives must be held accountable.
In a plural, fragile society like Nigeria, irresponsible journalism is not only unprofessional—it is dangerous. It must be stopped.
