Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has decried the rising insecurity in the South-East, attributing it largely to internal failings rather than external aggression.
In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, titled “Friday Meditation: Ala Igbo is Bleeding, and Its Wounds Are Largely Self-Inflicted – ‘Kidnap of Okwuluora in Focus'”, Ejiofor lamented the spate of kidnappings, violent crimes, and moral decay being perpetrated by Igbos against their own people.
He noted that while the Igbo have long blamed historical enemies for their plight, the most urgent threat now stems from within.
“Today, the most urgent enemy resides among Ndi Igbo—and sometimes, within us,” he declared.
Ejiofor condemned in strong terms the recent abduction of Mr. Emmanuel Onyeka Okoh, popularly known as Okwuluora—a respected social critic and prominent son of Enugu State—who was reportedly kidnapped in Umuaka, Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State by individuals who share his language, culture, and heritage. Ejiofor described the incident as the “height of moral degeneration.”
“This was not a random act of criminality. It was a symbolic tragedy—an open wound that exposes the deep moral and social fractures within Ala Igbo,” he said.
He pointed to the chilling irony of Okwuluora’s near-death experience at the hands of fellow Igbos, saying it confirms the existence of a dangerous faction within the region that has turned the South-East into a lawless zone, eroding its values in pursuit of greed and anarchy.
“Make no mistake. Imo State is bleeding. Ala Igbo is bleeding. And the wounds are no longer from external blows—they are self-inflicted, cut deep by betrayal, silence, fear, and complicity.”
Ejiofor also expressed concern over the fact that Okwuluora’s abduction took place just meters away from a military and police checkpoint, raising serious questions about the role—or failure—of security agencies in protecting citizens.
He called for urgent introspection and collective action to address the internal decay threatening the soul of Ala Igbo, warning that continued silence could prove fatal to the region’s survival.
Full Statement:
“Some moments jolt the conscience of a people—moments that refuse to be ignored, moments that force a nation to look itself in the mirror.
“One such moment is the chilling ordeal of Okwuluora, the respected social critic and voice of conscience, who was recently abducted in Umuaka, Orlu LGA of Imo State.
“But this was no random abduction. It was a symbolic tragedy, a revealing crack in the very soul of Ala Igbo.
“Okwuluora was not taken by strangers. He was not a victim of foreign invaders. He was kidnapped, blindfolded, tortured, and nearly executed by his own people—men who spoke his language, knew his background, and shared his roots.
“And perhaps the most horrifying part? His captivity occurred only a few meters from a military and police checkpoint.
“How did we get here?
How did a land once famed for its unity, industry, and resilience descend to this level of internal rot, where fear now reigns and terror is homemade?
“We have spent too many years blaming external aggressors and distant enemies. But today, the most urgent enemy resides among us—and sometimes, within us.
“Okwuluora’s near-death experience confirms what many have quietly suspected: that a faction of our own kith and kin have turned Ala Igbo into a hunting ground—desecrating sacred spaces and sacrificing our peace on the altar of greed, anarchy, and lawlessness.
“Entire communities in Imo State now live under siege.
Markets are silenced.
Traditional rulers are driven underground.
“Young men, once the pride of their clans, now morph into nightmarish militias.
“And all this unfolds under the passive gaze—or perhaps complicit nod—of those sworn to uphold law and order.
“Make no mistake: Imo State is bleeding. Ala Igbo is bleeding.
And the wounds are no longer from external blows. They are self-inflicted—cut deep by betrayal, silence, fear, and complicity.
“But this is not the first time our land has groaned under the weight of anguish.
“After the 1966 pogroms, Ndigbo fled the North in droves, returning home with nothing but their dignity and the bones of their dead.
They birthed Biafra from the ashes—a defiant declaration of self-worth.
Though crushed by war, the Igbo spirit endured. We rebuilt. We thrived.
“But now, what war failed to destroy, internal decay threatens to finish.
“So we must ask: Where is that same spirit of unity and defiance?
What happened to the moral spine that refused to bow in the face of injustice?
How did we go from guardians of our homeland to architects of its ruin?
“Okwuluora’s story is not isolated. It is a warning—a prophecy in real time.
“If we do not confront this rot from within…
If we do not rise to cleanse our land…
Then our silence shall one day be judged as betrayal.
“This is a call—not to bitterness or blame—but to awakening.
To truth. To courage. To self-redemption.
“Let this Friday serve as a sacred pause in our weekly race; a moment to reflect, to repent, and to resolve.
“For indeed, Ala Igbo is bleeding.
But where there is life, there is hope.
And where there is unity, there is healing.
“As we step into this new month of August, may the God of our ancestors arise for Ala Igbo.
“May He restore peace in our land.
May every agent of bloodshed and destruction be exposed, uprooted, and judged.
May our land, once soaked in the tears of the innocent, become again a fountain of prosperity, dignity, and unity.
“May the coming days be filled with divine preservation, clarity of purpose, and the courage to speak truth—even when it is costly. Amen.”
