ENUGU — Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, a prominent Nigerian human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has called on the Federal Government and the Attorney-General of the Federation to urgently intervene in the detention of hundreds of Igbo youths at Wawa Barracks.
In a statement titled “Midweek Musing: When Justice Looks North and Blinks South — The Irony of Selective Prosecution and the Silent Suffering of a People,” Ejiofor condemned the prolonged detention of these youths without trial, describing it as a blatant violation of their constitutional rights. He alleged a disturbing disparity in Nigeria’s justice system, noting that while individuals from the North implicated in terrorism and banditry during former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, SAN’s tenure went unprosecuted, Igbo youths are frequently arrested, blindfolded, and detained for long periods.
“Nigeria has tested the patience of the Igbo people for far too long. The continued detention of these youths lacks any legal or moral justification,” Ejiofor stated.
Highlighting recent disclosures from the Department of State Services (DSS) during ongoing proceedings against the former AGF, Ejiofor revealed that suspected financiers of terrorism, mainly from northern regions, were allegedly shielded from prosecution despite credible intelligence reports.
“These were not mere rumours or street gossip. They were conclusions reportedly reached through extensive intelligence investigations,” he noted.
Ejiofor emphasized that these individuals were linked to violent non-state actors destabilizing Nigeria, including Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandit groups. Yet, investigative files were closed, and prosecutions abandoned.
“One is compelled to ask, was terrorism suddenly eradicated, or was it simply forgiven?” he questioned.
Ejiofor contrasted the situation in the North with the South-East, where young people are regularly detained for extended periods based on suspicion, association, or profiling. While stressing the need for fair judicial processes, he raised serious concerns about equity and impartiality in Nigeria’s justice system. He urged the Federal Government to restore public confidence, end selective prosecution, and begin by releasing all unlawfully detained Igbo youths at Wawa Barracks.
“The Federal Government must act decisively to end the systemic injustice suffered by the Igbo people,” Ejiofor asserted.
