Human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has advised Ndigbo to take precautionary measures to protect themselves and their communities amid the country’s worsening security situation.
In a statement titled, “Wednesday Musings: Ndigbo, the Time to Think Home Is Now – History Never Forgives a People Who Ignore the Signs of Danger; The Storm Is No Longer Coming: Ndigbo Must Think Home, Prepare Home, and Protect Home,” Ejiofor urged the Igbo people to emulate efforts being made by other communities to address security challenges.
He cited reports that the Oba of Benin recently convened traditional custodians and native doctors to discuss their roles in contemporary society and possible contributions to tackling the growing insecurity in Edo State, where criminal elements have reportedly established strongholds in forest regions.
“Ndigbo must likewise encourage all legitimate institutions, traditional structures, community organisations, and lawful platforms capable of contributing to the protection of our people and homeland,” he said.
According to him, Ndigbo must begin preparing and equipping their communities to confront emerging security challenges before they become overwhelming.
“It is perhaps for this reason that traditional institutions across various parts of the country are increasingly seeking ways to contribute to community security and social stability. Reports indicate that the Oba of Benin recently convened traditional custodians and native doctors to discuss their roles in contemporary society and possible contributions toward addressing the growing insecurity in Edo State, where criminal elements have reportedly established significant footholds within forest regions,” he added.
Ejiofor said history offers painful lessons and that the Igbo people understand better than most the consequences of ignoring clear warning signs.
“From the pogroms of the 1960s to the devastating experiences of the Nigerian Civil War, history teaches that preparedness, unity, self-preservation, and strategic foresight are not luxuries but necessities for survival,” he said.
According to him, a people who fail to learn from history risk becoming victims of it.
“It is therefore imperative for Ndigbo, and indeed all threatened communities, to begin thinking strategically and pragmatically about collective security.
“We must harness all available lawful resources, strengthen community vigilance structures, support legitimate security initiatives, and build resilient mechanisms capable of protecting our people and preserving our ancestral heritage. No people can afford to outsource entirely the responsibility for their survival when existential threats stare them in the face.
“History teaches that communities that fail to prepare for foreseeable dangers often pay a terrible price for their complacency. The time for denial has passed. The time for vigilance, preparedness, unity of purpose, and constructive action is now.
“May wisdom guide our leaders, courage inspire our people, and may God preserve our land and our future,” he added.
The human rights lawyer further stated that the relentless invasion of communities by terrorists and armed bandits did not occur without warning.
“For years, discerning observers and individuals familiar with the trajectory of this dangerous trend consistently sounded the alarm about the looming security catastrophe that now confronts our nation. Sadly, many of those warnings have proved frighteningly accurate,” he said.
According to Ejiofor, virtually every region of Nigeria is facing serious security threats, while many of those entrusted with governance appear either unwilling or unable to confront the scale of the crisis.
“Rather than devising proactive and sustainable security strategies, a significant proportion of our political elite seem engrossed in calculations and permutations relating to the 2027 electoral cycle, oblivious to the gathering storm threatening the very foundations of our national existence,” he stated.
He noted that the activities of terrorists and criminal bandits have assumed alarming dimensions across the country.
“It is no longer news that the heinous activities of these terrorists and criminal bandits, regardless of whatever nomenclature they are described by, have assumed alarming proportions. The menace has become increasingly entrenched and appears to have defied easy security solutions because of its sophistication, coordination, and the factors that often frustrate efforts to contain it. Consequently, the threat is gradually spreading to every part of the country,” he said.
Ejiofor argued that the objective of violent expansionist movements throughout history has often been conquest, domination, and territorial control. He maintained that, regardless of differing interpretations, no reasonable person can deny that heavily armed criminal elements have created vast zones of fear and insecurity across Nigeria.
He stressed that any ideology or criminal enterprise that lacks compassion, humanity, and respect for life must be resisted through lawful means.
“The stark reality is that heavily armed terrorist elements and criminal bandits have established operational footholds in forests and ungoverned spaces across the country,” he said.
According to him, these groups continue to perpetrate atrocities against innocent citizens, particularly women, children, farmers, and rural dwellers.
“Kidnappings, murders, rapes, destruction of farmlands, and violent displacements have become recurring features of daily life in many parts of the federation,” he added.
Ejiofor maintained that Nigeria is currently grappling with a deeply entrenched security crisis.
“More troubling is the widespread perception that some of these criminal elements enjoy varying degrees of protection, tolerance, or even covert support from influential actors within the corridors of power. Such perceptions, whether real or imagined, further undermine public confidence in the capacity of the state to guarantee the security and welfare of its citizens.
“As matters presently stand, Nigeria appears engaged in a war against itself. While political divisions, ethnic rivalries, and manufactured controversies dominate public discourse, the real enemies of peace and national stability continue their devastating assault on communities with alarming audacity and frequency.
“We continue daily to count our losses. Families are shattered. Communities live in perpetual fear. Farmers can no longer access their ancestral lands with confidence. The threats confronting our homes, livelihoods, and future generations remain unabated,” he said.
