Abstract
Banditry in North-West Nigeria has increasingly been framed through ethnic narratives that associate criminal violence with Fulani identity, contributing to stigmatisation and social division. While existing studies document ethnicised representations of insecurity, limited empirical attention has been given to the role of indigenous language communication in countering such narratives. This study examines how Fulfulde-based development communication contributes to de-ethnicising banditry discourse and reshaping perceptions of Fulani identity in North-West Nigeria.Adopting a qualitative research design, data were generated through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and qualitative analysis of Fulfulde-based media content. Participants were purposively selected from banditry-affected communities and included Fulani community members, community leaders, civil society actors, and community media practitioners. Data were analysed thematically, supported by discourse and framing analysis. Findings reveal that Fulfulde-based communication predominantly frames banditry as a criminal and social problem rather than an ethnic one, linguistically separating criminal actors from the broader Fulani community. The use of Fulfulde enables self-representation and identity clarification, enhancing message credibility and reducing generalised ethnic suspicion. Participatory Fulfulde communication platforms further facilitate dialogue and collective meaning-making, contributing to the reduction of ethnic stigmatisation associated with banditry.
Keywords: Banditry,
Development Communication, Ethnic Stigmatisation, Fulfulde Language, Indigenous
Media
DOI: 10.36349/sojolics.2026.v02i01.014
author/Mohammed, A., &Wasagu, S. M.
journal/Sokoto JOLICS 2(1) | June 2026 |
