The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Security Adviser to track down individuals in Northern Nigeria who are posting videos on social media urging Northern Muslims to attack Christians and Southerners living in the region.
In a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA warned that if such incitements escalate into violence, the resulting chain of retaliatory attacks across the South could spark a civil war. The group urged security agencies to act swiftly, emphasizing that preventive action must be taken before the situation spirals out of control.
HURIWA expressed alarm over reports that some individuals in the North are spreading hate-filled and divisive messages online. These messages allegedly call for attacks on Southerners and Christians in response to the recent killing of some Northern travelers in Uromi, Edo State. The group criticized the silence of the DSS and the National Security Adviser, questioning why no arrests had been made despite the clear threats of violence.
The organization referenced a video circulating online in which an unidentified man from Northern Nigeria issued a 48-hour ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu and Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo. He demanded immediate action to apprehend those responsible for the killing of 16 Northerners in Uromi, warning that failure to do so would lead to retaliatory attacks against Southerners in the North.
In the three-minute, 30-second video, the man expressed frustration over the incident and stated that Northerners would not remain passive. He suggested that any reprisal attacks should be blamed on Southerners. Additionally, another individual, reportedly a police officer, allegedly posted on Facebook, vowing to take revenge for the killings.
HURIWA called on the DSS and other intelligence agencies to act quickly and arrest those inciting violence. The group stressed that these threats are serious and must be stopped before they materialize into widespread violence.
