The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has issued a stern warning, stating that it may be forced to appeal to President Bola Tinubu for the declaration of a state of emergency in the Southeastern states if the ongoing insecurity is not addressed promptly.
The group expressed dissatisfaction with the silence of political leaders, particularly the Governors in the region, in the face of escalating killings and widespread insecurity.
According to Ohanaeze, over 300 lives were lost in the first quarter of 2025 alone due to the violence, which the organization believes is primarily orchestrated by Fulani herdsmen. The group decried the apparent inaction of the Southeast Governors, describing their silence as a tacit acceptance of the violence and the collapse of governance in the region.
In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Deputy President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the organization called for immediate and decisive action from the Southeast Governors to curb the killings. It noted that the failure to address the worsening security situation would leave them with no option but to request intervention from the federal government.
The statement emphasized that if the Governors do not act within a 30-day ultimatum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo would seek the invocation of Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution, which allows for the declaration of a state of emergency. This would be especially targeted at states where the Governor is perceived as inactive or ineffective in protecting the lives and property of citizens.
