Human rights lawyer and counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Benue State in response to the escalating wave of violence and killings across communities in the state.
In a statement released on Monday, Ejiofor condemned what he described as the “relentless and gruesome massacre of innocent civilians” in Benue, warning that the situation has now exceeded the constitutional threshold for federal intervention.
Quoting Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), he noted that the President has the legal authority to declare a state of emergency when there is a breakdown of public order or a serious threat to life and property.
Ejiofor criticised Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia’s recent exoneration of Fulani herdsmen as deeply troubling, especially in light of reports that the attacks are allegedly being carried out by foreign militias infiltrating through the Cameroon border — a claim also acknowledged by the governor himself.
“This is no time for political appeasement or partisan manoeuvring,” Ejiofor stated. “The foremost duty of any government is the protection of its citizens and the defence of its territorial integrity. By absolving known actors and trivialising verified threats, the Benue State Government risks eroding the very foundation of national security coordination.”
He urged the Federal Government to give Nigerian security agencies full operational freedom to launch a comprehensive crackdown on what he described as “foreign insurgents terrorising peaceful communities.”
Ejiofor decried the ongoing attacks on the indigenous people of Yelwata and surrounding villages, saying the response must be driven by a unified national resolve, not political calculations.
Taking a swipe at Governor Alia, a former Catholic priest, Ejiofor said leadership in times of crisis demands “constitutional fidelity, courage, and unequivocal action.”
“If the burden of political office has become too heavy, perhaps a return to the pulpit may better serve his conscience and calling,” he added.
He further stressed that the lives of Benue’s indigenous population must not be reduced to political bargaining chips, stating: “Their only ‘crime,’ it seems, is their ancestral heritage and legitimate claim to their homeland.”
Concluding his statement with a stern warning, Ejiofor said, “Nigeria stands at a crossroads. History will neither forget nor forgive those who remained silent or complicit in the face of a preventable genocide. The time for rhetorical posturing is over. The time for decisive constitutional action is now.
“Let justice rise – not as a whisper, but as a national roar. For every drop of innocent blood cries out – not just for attention, but for justice.”
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