By: Zagazola Makama
The Fulani community is once again counting its losses following a deadly attack allegedly carried out by Maghavul militia, yet the silence surrounding the incident is deeply troubling.
The painful reality is that some tragedies receive little attention simply because they do not fit the preferred narrative. But violence does not become less tragic because the victims belong to a particular community.
The danger of selective reporting is that it creates a distorted picture of insecurity. When one side is repeatedly presented only as the victim while attacks against the other side are ignored, grievances deepen, anger accumulates and the conditions for reprisal attacks become stronger.
And when the reprisal eventually comes, everyone suddenly pays attention.
This is precisely why responsible journalism must go beyond narratives and affiliations. Every innocent life lost deserves to be reported, regardless of whether the victims are Fulani, Berom, Hausa, Christian, Muslim, farmers or pastoralists.
Zagazola Media Network has remained consistent in documenting violence objectively, whether the victims are Fulani or local communities, and whether the perpetrators come from one side or the other.
Our responsibility is not to defend a tribe or promote a narrative. It is to document the truth, give victims a voice and expose the cycle of violence before another community is forced to seek revenge.
Ignoring today’s victim does not prevent tomorrow’s reprisal. It only helps the cycle continue.