The Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT) has called for urgent international intervention in Nigeria, warning that the country is sliding toward collapse similar to the crises that preceded the civil war and the 1966 anti-Igbo pogroms.
In a communique signed by ILT President Prof. Elochukwu Amucheazi and Secretary Prof. Jerry Chukwuokolo, the group said escalating killings, mass abductions, and the takeover of communities by terrorists show that government has failed to protect citizens. They cited recent incidents, including the murder of soldiers, the abduction of military personnel, the kidnapping of 25 female students in Kebbi, and attacks targeting Christian communities in the Middle Belt and South. A report by Intersociety was referenced, indicating that 101 Christians were killed within two weeks.
The group urged the United States to pressure Nigerian leaders into long-standing demands for national restructuring, including devolving security powers to states and regions — a principle they noted was originally agreed upon during the 1967 Aburi Accord. They insisted restructuring remains the only path to prevent further deterioration of the nation’s security and political stability.
ILT also appealed for the use of U.S. policy instruments such as the Global Magnitsky Act and Executive Order 13886 to impose targeted sanctions on individuals sponsoring terrorism, including freezing assets, blocking financial transactions, and revoking visas. Such measures, they said, could disrupt “the infrastructure of terror” without deploying American troops.
On the life sentence recently issued to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, ILT condemned the ruling as “unjust and politically motivated.” The group referenced previous court decisions that deemed his arrest and extradition unlawful, including a Kenyan court ruling faulting Kenya’s role in his rendition. They demanded his unconditional release, compensation, and rehabilitation.
ILT further accused the Nigerian government of enabling what it described as “genocidal profiling and economic strangulation” of Igbo people, arguing that anti-Igbo sentiment and economic suppression are fueling renewed agitation. They warned that the ideology of Biafra would persist as long as injustices remain unaddressed.
The group called on the Federal Government to convene meaningful ethno-regional dialogue to tackle the root causes of extremism and separatist tensions. They cautioned against attempts to blame the Igbo for Nigeria’s broader security crisis.
Concluding, ILT issued a stark appeal to Washington: “The U.S. must not hesitate to intervene physically, including dispersing the numerous bandits harassing the nation. We cannot watch history repeat itself.”
Further details are awaited.
