Why I Met and Dined with Displaced Fulani Families in Viral Photo – Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has addressed the controversy surrounding a viral photo showing him dining with a group of Fulani people, clarifying the context behind the image. Speaking at the 2025 International Press Institute Nigeria Conference and Annual General Meeting in Abuja, Shettima said the photograph had been misrepresented online by groups attempting to link him to bandits and Boko Haram.

He explained that the individuals in the photo were displaced Fulanis who had lost their grazing lands and livestock to Boko Haram in Sambisa Forest, leaving many formerly wealthy herders in extreme poverty. Many of them later worked as guards at schools built by the Borno State government during his tenure as governor.

Shettima said he launched a large-scale education initiative to help break the cycle of poverty among the affected families, enrolling their children in schools and providing food, clothing, and other support to earn the parents’ trust. He created a specialised learning environment with digital teaching tools, regular meals, and transportation from their homes to encourage attendance. The viral photograph, he noted, was taken during his regular visits to the parents, when he shared meals to build trust and rapport.

He warned that the photo had resurfaced as part of a broader spread of misinformation on social media and stressed that mainstream media had not promoted the false narrative. Shettima described unchecked social media falsehoods as a growing threat to Nigeria’s democratic stability, noting that public figures often face such attacks as a cost of leadership.

Reflecting on the circumstances that led to the displacement of the Fulani herders, Shettima said Boko Haram targeted them after accusing them of sharing information with the Nigerian military. He emphasized that extreme poverty underpinned much of the unrest in affected communities and described education as the most effective tool to address the root causes of insurgency and banditry.

Shettima recounted his efforts to provide safe, well-equipped schools for Fulani children, regular meals, and transport to encourage attendance. He said his personal engagement with parents, including sharing meals, aimed to gain their confidence. He concluded that while mischief-makers on social media may exploit such images, serious media outlets had not supported the misleading narratives, underlining the critical role of the media in safeguarding democracy.