Truth Has No Ethnic Colour — A Response to BYM’s Mischaracterisation of Zagazola Media Network

The attention of Zagazola Media Network has been drawn to a statement issued by the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYM), in which our platform was unfairly and inaccurately portrayed as a “mouthpiece” of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) over reports relating to the recent killing of two herders in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Ordinarily, we would not dignify such allegations with a response. However, given the sensitivity of the Plateau conflict and the importance of maintaining public trust in independent journalism, it has become necessary to set the record straight.

First, Zagazola Media Network is neither affiliated with MACBAN, nor with any ethnic, religious, political or sectional interest group in Nigeria or the Sahel. We are a network of journalists, researchers and security analysts committed to factual reporting, conflict documentation and the promotion of peace and stability across Nigeria.

Our record speaks for itself.

For years, we have consistently documented and reported security developments across Plateau State and other conflict-prone areas without fear or favour. We have published hundreds of reports on attacks affecting all communities, irrespective of the identity of the victims or perpetrators. Our archives contain hundreds of extensive coverage of killings in Berom communities, attacks on Fulani settlements, reprisals, kidnappings, cattle rustling, communal violence and terrorist activities across the state.

When Fulani Bandits attacked communities in Bokkos on Monday and 18 of innocent residents were killed, Zagazola Media Network was among the first platforms to report the tragedy.
https://zagazola.org/index.php/breaking-news/fulani-bandits-kill-18-in-fresh-attack-on-plateau-communities

We did not hesitate because the victims were Berom. We reported the facts as they emerged. Indeed, many of those reports were subsequently cited and amplified by national and international media organizations. Likewise, when Fulani communities have come under attack, we have reported those incidents with the same level of professionalism and attention.

Our principle is simple, All victims deserve to be heard, regardless of ethnicity, religion or social status. Facts deserve to be reported, regardless of whose narrative they support.

It is therefore disappointing that an organization claiming to advocate peace and justice would resort to attacking the credibility of journalists simply because a report did not conform to its preferred narrative.

The essence of journalism is not to validate the positions of interest groups. Journalism exists to establish facts and place them before the public. Sometimes those facts may align with the position of one group. At other times, they may not. That does not make the journalist an ally or an enemy of any side.

The attempt to associate Zagazola Media Network with MACBAN is both false and irresponsible. Equally troubling is the suggestion that our reports should be judged based on whether they support the narratives of any ethnic organization. The Plateau crisis is too serious for such distractions.

For decades, communities across Plateau State have suffered devastating losses. Berom families have lost loved ones. Fulani families have lost loved ones. Other ethnic groups have also paid a terrible price. The challenge before all stakeholders should be how to stop the cycle of violence not how to silence or intimidate independent reporting.

What should concern everyone is whether journalists are acting in good faith and striving for accuracy. On that score, Zagazola Media Network’s record remains open for public scrutiny.

We therefore reject, in its entirety, the attempt to portray our platform as aligned with MACBAN or any other interest group. Even the MACBAN are accusing Zagazola of stereo typing the Fulani as Bandits in our stories. But for the purpose of clarity the names of attackers must be clearly mentioned.

We therefore reject the dangerous trend of branding journalists based on whose actions are reported at any given moment. Our loyalty remains where it has always been: with the truth.

We will continue to report attacks against Berom communities when they occur. We will continue to report attacks against Fulani communities when they occur. We will continue to report criminality, terrorism and violence wherever they emerge.

The pursuit of peace requires honesty. It requires courage. Above all, it requires a willingness to confront facts, even when they are uncomfortable.

Zagazola Media Network will remain committed to those principles.

Truth has no ethnic colour. Facts have no tribe. Journalism has no side except the truth.

— Zagazola Media Network

Truth Has No Ethnic Colour — A Response to BYM’s Mischaracterisation of Zagazola Media Network

Nigeria Moves to Tighten Response to Intimate Image Abuse as UN Warns of Rising Cyber-Interpersonal Violence

By: Michael Mike

Nigeria is stepping up efforts to confront the growing threat of cyber-interpersonal violence, particularly the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and sextortion, as global and national stakeholders push for stronger legal and survivor-centred responses to online abuse.

The renewed push came during a high-level workshop in Lagos supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), where experts and policymakers examined how Nigeria can better prevent and respond to intimate image abuse—one of the fastest-growing forms of digital exploitation.

The discussions were anchored in a broader global shift following the adoption of the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime on 24 December 2024, which formally recognizes cyber-enabled harms such as intimate image exploitation, online harassment, and sextortion as serious transnational crimes requiring coordinated international action.

Participants warned that cyber-interpersonal violence has become one of the most personal and devastating forms of online harm, often leaving lasting psychological, social, and economic consequences for victims. While women and girls remain disproportionately affected, experts stressed that victims cut across gender, age, and social boundaries.

Non-consensual sharing of intimate images—commonly referred to as “revenge porn”—and sextortion were identified as particularly pervasive, with perpetrators exploiting digital platforms to blackmail, shame, and control victims.

Stakeholders noted that beyond legal violations, these acts strip victims of privacy, dignity, autonomy, and security, often pushing them into isolation, mental distress, and in some cases, withdrawal from education or employment.

The workshop emphasized the need for Nigeria to strengthen its legal frameworks, improve institutional coordination, and build capacity among law enforcement, prosecutors, educators, and counsellors.

Through its ongoing technical support, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has been assisting countries to develop national standards, improve cross-border cooperation, and establish survivor-centred response systems that prioritize safety, dignity, and access to justice.

Experts at the meeting stressed that effective responses must go beyond criminalization. They called for integrated systems that combine law enforcement with psychosocial support, digital literacy, prevention campaigns, and victim protection mechanisms.

A key message from the discussions was the need to place survivors at the centre of all interventions. Participants argued that many victims of intimate image abuse face stigma and institutional neglect, making reporting and recovery difficult.

They called for reforms that ensure survivors are believed, protected from further harm, and supported through accessible justice systems and emotional care services.

The workshop also formally acknowledged contributions from Nigerian stakeholders, including Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, commending his participation in ongoing discussions on cybercrime response frameworks and victim support mechanisms.

Analysts said the renewed attention reflects a broader global concern over the speed at which digital platforms are enabling new forms of exploitation, outpacing existing legal and institutional safeguards in many countries.

With Nigeria increasingly integrated into global digital networks, experts warn that failure to act decisively could deepen vulnerabilities, particularly among young people and women who are most exposed to online abuse.

As discussions continue, stakeholders insist that the future of cybercrime response in Nigeria must balance enforcement with empathy—ensuring that justice systems not only punish offenders but also restore dignity to survivors.

Nigeria Moves to Tighten Response to Intimate Image Abuse as UN Warns of Rising Cyber-Interpersonal Violence

42% of Nigerian Schoolgirls Face Gender Violence, FG, EU Move to Strengthen Justice for Abused Children

By: Michael Mike

Nearly one in every two female students in Nigeria experiences some form of gender-based violence during years in school, a disturbing trend that is fuelling school dropouts, inflicting lasting psychological trauma and denying thousands of children justice, stakeholders warned on Tuesday.

The alarming figures emerged as the Federal Government, the European Union (EU) and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) commenced a fresh initiative aimed at strengthening justice pathways for children abused in schools and equipping teachers, counsellors, police officers and school administrators to identify, document and prosecute perpetrators.

The intervention is being implemented under the European Union-supported programme to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria (ESGBV) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice through its Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Response Unit, with support from the Federal Ministry of Education and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) .

The renewed push formed the focus of a three-day capacity-building workshop that opened in Abuja to deepen stakeholders’ understanding and implementation of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the Legal Pathway for the Prosecution of Perpetrators of School-Related Gender-Based Violence, developed in 2024.

Addressing participants drawn from schools, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and education institutions, Head of the SGBV Response Unit at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Yewande Gbola-Awopetu, painted a grim picture of violence within Nigerian schools.

Citing findings from a systematic review, she said the prevalence of gender-based violence in educational settings stood at 42.3 per cent, meaning that nearly half of female students in Nigeria experience some form of violence during their educational journey.

She disclosed further that a 2025 study published in PLOS Global Public Health found that 69.4 per cent of adolescents in South-west Nigeria had experienced some form of sexual violence.

“These are not just statistics. They are lives disrupted, futures threatened and opportunities denied,” she said.

According to her, the consequences of violence in schools extend beyond immediate physical and emotional harm, contributing directly to Nigeria’s worsening out-of-school crisis.

“Girls account for 60 per cent of out-of-school children in Nigeria. Every girl who leaves school because she was assaulted, harassed or felt unsafe represents not only a personal tragedy but a permanent loss to Nigeria’s human capital,” she said.

She lamented that many incidents of abuse go unreported and poorly documented, allowing perpetrators to escape accountability while survivors suffer in silence.

“Too many cases go undocumented. Too many survivors are denied justice. Too many institutions lack the procedural clarity required to respond effectively,” she added.

Gbola-Awopetu described the SOP not as merely another policy document but as “a coordinated accountability framework” designed to improve reporting, evidence preservation and prosecution of perpetrators of school-related gender-based violence.

Representing International IDEA, the GBV Policy and Strategy Development Specialist and Component One Lead of the ESGBV Programme, Ms. Melissa Omene, said violence in schools had assumed several forms, including sexual abuse, harassment, exploitation, bullying, corporal punishment, technology-facilitated violence and harmful traditional practices.

“Recent studies reveal that 18 per cent of sexual violence incidents occur in schools, while 25 per cent of children report experiencing corporal punishment by teachers. These are not just statistics; they reflect the lived experiences of children,” she said.

According to her, children who suffer violence are significantly more likely to drop out of school, perform poorly academically and experience long-term psychosocial difficulties, with girls and other vulnerable groups disproportionately affected.

She stressed that frontline actors in schools and protection services have a critical role to play in breaking the cycle of abuse.

“Your actions, or inaction, can determine whether a child receives protection, support and justice, or remains silent,” she said.

The initiative comes at a time when concerns are mounting over the safety of learning environments in Nigeria. The country already has one of the world’s highest numbers of out-of-school children, estimated at more than 18 million by recent government and development partner assessments, with insecurity, poverty, early marriage and violence identified as key drivers of school exclusion, particularly among girls.

School-related gender-based violence has also increasingly become a global concern. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that violence in and around schools undermines children’s rights to education, safety and dignity, while perpetuating cycles of poverty, inequality and social exclusion.

Speaking at the event, Head of the Gender Unit at the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Augustina Apakasa, urged participants to translate the knowledge gained during the training into practical action in their respective institutions.

“Every child, and I mean every child, in Nigeria deserves to learn in an environment free from fear, discrimination and violence. Together, we can build schools where every child is loved, every child is valued and every child is protected,” she said.

Also speaking, Executive Director of Protect the Child Foundation, Mrs. Elizabeth Ebulejonu Achimugu, described teachers as critical first responders because of their daily interactions with children and their ability to detect warning signs early.

“Securing justice for one child, whether a girl or a boy, is not the responsibility of a single individual. It requires teamwork, knowledge, coordination and cooperation,” she said.

She explained that the training was specifically designed to operationalise the SOP and ensure that perpetrators of abuse do not escape punishment regardless of their status.

“The aim is to ensure that perpetrators do not go unpunished, whether the perpetrator is another child, a teacher or an adult,” she said.

Participants at the workshop are expected to replicate the training within their institutions and strengthen school-based response systems as part of broader efforts to create safer learning environments, improve access to justice for survivors and reduce impunity for perpetrators of violence against children in Nigerian schools.

42% of Nigerian Schoolgirls Face Gender Violence, FG, EU Move to Strengthen Justice for Abused Children