A faction of the Igbo socio-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo has raised alarm over rising insecurity in Nigeria’s Southeast region, warning that the area could soon face a wave of deadly attacks if urgent action is not taken.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group’s National Deputy President, urged governors of the five Southeastern states to immediately establish armed vigilante groups across all 95 local government areas.
He warned that criminal elements, including armed groups from neighbouring states like Benue and Kogi, are reportedly infiltrating Igbo communities under the cover of darkness.
“This is no time for complacency. The pattern of militant infiltration mirrors the situation that led to mass killings in Benue last week,” the statement read. “Governors must rise to their responsibility or face the consequences of inaction.”
According to Isiguzoro, residents in Enugu, Anambra, and Ebonyi states have reported suspicious movements of armed individuals, fuelling fears that the region could soon be targeted for coordinated attacks.
Ohanaeze accused state leaders of negligence and warned that any failure to act could lead to serious consequences, both in terms of loss of life and political backlash.
“The Igbo people will not remain silent if Southeast governors fail to protect them. If massacres happen here as they did in Benue, our leaders will be held fully accountable,” Isiguzoro said.
The group also warned that continued silence from both state and federal authorities would only embolden attackers. It called on residents to remain vigilant and establish community-based security networks in collaboration with formal institutions.
“The time of relying solely on government promises has passed. We must take security into our own hands through well-organised local vigilance,” the statement concluded.
There has been no official response yet from the governors or Nigeria’s security agencies regarding the claims. However, concerns over insecurity have continued to grow across parts of the country, with some communities calling for decentralised security solutions.