Ethnic profiling is a major hindrance to Nigeria’s development, director general of Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, has said.
Lukman said this in a statement in Abuja on purported eviction order to Fulani herders by some South West states.
He said ethnic profiling sends the wrong messages about the true situation of things, and usually incites rather than help to quell negative situation.
Lukman said victimisation of Hausa-Fulani in the southern parts of the country was going out of hand, and it was time for the northern elites to speak up.
He said while Southern elite speak up against any perceived injustice against their people, the Northern Hausa-Fulani elites keep quiet.
Lukman said ethnic profiling in the country was a moving target both in terms of the trigger and the ethnic group affected. He said for the country to progress, there must be concerted efforts by government and individuals to move away from causing ethnic tensions, and embrace true federalism as a system of government.
He said the inability to address issues of ethnic tension has continued to inflame political crisis in the country, which he said caused pervasive and systematic weakening of governance institutions in the country, especially on matters of guaranteeing the security of lives and property of the citizenry.
