By Chuks Eke—
Human rights advocate, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor has condemned the recent designation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation, describing it as a desperate attempt to manufacture a convenient diversion.
He criticised the Federal Government of Nigeria for branding a peaceful movement of agitators like IPOB as terrorist.
In a press statement titled “Hypocrisy at Its Peak: The Dangerous Diversion from Nigeria’s Real Enemies”, Ejiofor, who is also IPOB’s lawyer, stated that it is perplexing for any reasonable person or government to include IPOB – a peaceful movement with a global reach, present in over 50 countries and widely acknowledged for its non-violent stance – amongst the financiers of terrorism.
According to Ejiofor, who expressed his disappointment at the situation, “the height of hypocrisy is reached when deliberate efforts are made to divert attention from the clear and ongoing atrocities perpetrated by violent jihadist elements and terrorists, including those disguising themselves as herdsmen, Boko Haram insurgents and ISWAP militants, who consistently wage a brutal and existential campaign of violence against the Nigerian state.”
“Their attacks are neither selective nor restrained; they target the very fabric of national stability, our already overstretched security institutions, and, most tragically, defenceless citizens whose blood is shed daily across the North-West, North-Central, North-East, and the Middle Belt.”
“This relentless bloodshed, which should be the urgent priority of both the government and public discourse, is instead being overshadowed by a curious and disingenuous narrative. Such rhetorical contortions not only stretch credibility but reveal a worrying tendency towards obfuscation rather than resolution.”
“It is precisely this pattern of misdirection and selective outrage that explains why the complex insecurity plaguing the northern regions continues to defy meaningful resolution. Until we find the collective courage to confront uncomfortable truths, dismantle the structures of denial, and unequivocally condemn those who enable these heinous crimes – through action or inaction – any proposed solution will remain illusory.”
“Only through honesty, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to truth can we hope to realign our national response and return to the path of peace and security,” Ejiofor stated.
