Human rights lawyer and counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on the Federal Government to take constitutional steps to address the worsening security situation in Benue State.
Ejiofor urged President Bola Tinubu to exercise the constitutional powers vested in his office to protect lives and national security, following what he described as the relentless massacre of innocent civilians in the state.
His statement comes after Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, reportedly absolved Fulani herders of involvement in the killings, which Ejiofor said undermines national security efforts.
He cited Section 305(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the President to declare a state of emergency in cases of a breakdown of public order or imminent danger to life and property.
“The persistent attacks, reportedly by foreign militias infiltrating through the Cameroon border, as admitted by the governor himself, clearly surpass the constitutional threshold for emergency intervention,” Ejiofor said in a statement.
He warned that downplaying the crisis or shielding known actors would only weaken security coordination.
“The Federal Government must grant security forces full operational autonomy to carry out comprehensive operations to identify, isolate, and neutralise the foreign insurgents terrorising peaceful communities,” he added.
He criticised Governor Alia, a former priest, for what he called a failure to rise to the demands of his office in a time of crisis.
“Leadership in such moments demands constitutional fidelity, courage, and decisive action—not excuses or evasion. If political office has become too burdensome, perhaps a return to the pulpit would better suit his conscience,” Ejiofor remarked.
He stressed that the lives of Benue’s indigenous people must not become political bargaining chips.
“The only ‘crime’ of the people seems to be their ancestral heritage and legitimate claim to their homeland,” he said.
“Nigeria stands at a crossroads. History will not forgive silence or complicity in the face of a preventable genocide. The time for action is now. Justice must rise—not as a whisper, but a national roar,” he concluded.
