An Anambra State-born human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently investigate the reported killing of an Igbo family of six in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Ejiofor warned that growing ethnic hatred and inflammatory rhetoric could worsen insecurity and heighten tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The lawyer, who holds the traditional title of Dunu-Ezeugosinachi, made the call in his Monday Musings commentary, in which he demanded justice for Ephraim Chukwu, his wife and their four children, who he said were murdered in September 2026.
He urged the relevant authorities to identify, arrest and prosecute anyone found responsible for the killings, while calling for decisive action against individuals allegedly promoting ethnic hatred and violence.
The human rights lawyer expressed concern over what he described as growing hostility towards Igbo people in parts of the South-West, warning that the situation could deteriorate as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, Nigeria’s increasingly polarised political atmosphere, coupled with hate speech and ethnic incitement, poses a serious threat to national unity, peaceful coexistence and the security of citizens.
Ejiofor said his previous interventions had repeatedly warned that the 2027 general elections could degenerate into violence and bloodshed if inflammatory rhetoric and divisive tendencies were not urgently addressed.
He expressed particular concern over reports that some individuals had allegedly used Facebook to call for the killing of Igbo people living in the South-West, describing such statements as dangerous and deserving of urgent attention by security agencies.
The lawyer questioned why political differences were increasingly being framed along ethnic lines despite the long history of relationships, intermarriages and peaceful coexistence between Igbo and Yoruba communities.
He warned that targeting individuals on the basis of their ethnic identity could undermine national cohesion, deepen mistrust among communities and expose innocent citizens to danger.
Ejiofor also called for accountability among public officials and political appointees whose conduct is credibly established to have encouraged ethnic hostility. He argued that failure to address such conduct could embolden others to engage in similar acts.
He urged the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to monitor, investigate and address credible reports of ethnic incitement, particularly where such rhetoric threatens the safety and security of vulnerable communities.
The lawyer cautioned that no political ambition or ethnic grievance could justify the killing of innocent citizens, insisting that every Nigerian should be able to live, work and pursue legitimate interests in any part of the country without fear of persecution because of their ancestry.
He further demanded a thorough investigation into the reported killing of the Chukwu family, as well as the prosecution of anyone found culpable.
“No political ambition is worth a single innocent life; no ethnic grievance justifies murder; and no government should wait for another family to be wiped out before acting,” Ejiofor said.
He stressed that justice for the slain family must go beyond public condemnation to include a credible investigation, accountability for those responsible and concrete measures to prevent similar tragedies.
Ejiofor called for an end to ethnic hatred, hate speech, political violence and impunity, warning that Nigeria must not allow ethnic divisions to destroy peaceful coexistence among its citizens.
