Human rights lawyer and legal counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has raised the alarm over what he describes as ongoing “genocide killings” in Nigeria’s South-East region, likening the current spate of violence and militarization to a renewed version of the Biafran War. He is calling on both local and international authorities to take urgent action to prevent further bloodshed and investigate alleged atrocities being committed in the region.
Speaking at a press briefing on Saturday, Ejiofor condemned the frequent military raids, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances that have plagued several communities across Anambra, Imo, Abia, and other parts of the South-East. According to him, the silence of the Federal Government and the security agencies in the face of widespread civilian casualties is not only alarming but indicative of a deliberate campaign against the Igbo people.
“What is happening in the South-East is nothing short of a calculated genocide,” Ejiofor stated. “Entire villages are being raided, young men are being summarily executed, and families are living in fear. This is a repeat of 1967 in a more dangerous and covert form. The world must not look away this time.”
Ejiofor, who has survived several assassination attempts allegedly linked to his advocacy work, called on human rights organizations, the United Nations, African Union, and ECOWAS to immediately investigate the killings and deploy peace monitors to the region. He warned that failure to address the crisis could plunge Nigeria into greater instability and fan the flames of ethnic discontent.
He also appealed to President Bola Tinubu’s administration to rein in the military operations and open dialogue with aggrieved communities rather than rely on force.
“The use of brutal military force to suppress dissent and impose control is counterproductive. What the South-East needs is justice, equity, and inclusion — not bullets,” he added.
Ejiofor emphasized that the South-East cannot continue to suffer under the weight of militarization while other regions enjoy relative peace. He demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to the indiscriminate labeling of young Igbos as “terrorists.”