The systematic targeting of the Igbo people through violence, discrimination, and economic sabotage has been an enduring characteristic of Nigerian socio-political dynamics. Igbo-phobia—prejudice, discrimination, and hostility toward the Igbo ethnic group—has shaped the experience of the South-East region in Nigeria for decades. This persistent targeting of the Igbo, both through violent means and socio-economic marginalisation, forms a critical part of the case for remedial secession. The deliberate destruction of Igbo-owned properties, the restriction of their economic interests, and the physical harm inflicted upon them in various parts of Nigeria highlight the necessity for a more comprehensive and sustainable resolution, including the possibility of secession as a means of protecting the Igbo people’s economic, social, and political future.
Igbo-Phobia: A Systemic and Historical Phenomenon
Igbo-phobia is not a recent development. Its roots can be traced back to pre-independence Nigeria and the early years of the Nigerian federation. One of the earliest prominent expressions of this deep-seated animosity occurred in the 1960s, when the Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, explicitly voiced his distrust of the Igbo people. Bello’s statements reflected a pervasive attitude within certain sections of the Nigerian elite, particularly in the North, where Igbo people were viewed with suspicion due to their entrepreneurial success, educational advancement, and ambition.
Bello’s declaration that Igbos should only be employed in the North on a contractual basis, and only when a suitable Northern or expatriate alternative could not be found, institutionalised a policy of exclusion that limited the Igbo people’s ability to secure stable civil service employment in the Northern region. His assertion that the Igbo people were domineering and untrustworthy laid the foundation for the systemic discrimination that would follow. The pogroms against the Igbo in Northern Nigeria in 1966, which marked the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, were a direct result of the ethnic and political tensions stoked by this Igbo-phobia.
These pogroms, during which thousands of Igbo people were killed, and countless others displaced, were the precursors to the Biafran War (1967–1970), a conflict that would see even more Igbo lives lost and properties destroyed. Despite the cessation of hostilities in 1970, the attitudes that fuelled Igbo-phobia have persisted, manifesting in various forms of socio-political and economic discrimination.
Igbo-Phobia in Contemporary Nigeria: A Perpetuation of Historical Grievances
In the contemporary Nigerian political landscape, Igbo-phobia remains a pervasive force. Statements and actions by influential political figures have not only perpetuated but have intensified this deep-seated animosity. For example, during the 2023 election cycle, rhetoric from prominent political actors such as Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and others such as Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, Kaduna State governor, further stoked ethnic division and hostility toward the Igbo people. Kwankwaso’s remark that it would be “very difficult for the northern voter to vote for a candidate from the South-East” echoed long-held sentiments of ethnic exclusion, effectively dismissing the political aspirations of the Igbo on the basis of their ethnic identity.
Furthermore, notable political figures, including President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), have been accused of fuelling Igbo-phobia through discriminatory rhetoric and policies. The president’s infamous comments in 2017, referring to “those who gave him 5% of the vote” (a thinly veiled reference to the South-East) versus “those who gave him 97%,” implied that the Igbo people would be sidelined in his administration’s policies and decisions. This statement was a clear indication of how political exclusion is not merely a perception but a lived reality for the Igbo people.
This rhetoric has been accompanied by more direct expressions of Igbo-phobia, such as calls for the expulsion of Igbo people from Lagos, a state with a significant Igbo population, and even threats of physical violence. For instance, the infamous statement by Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, who threatened Igbo people not to come out and vote in Lagos during the 2023 elections unless they were voting for certain political candidates, demonstrates how deeply rooted this ethnic animosity has become. These threats and other hostile actions are clear manifestations of ethnic persecution, designed to instil fear and restrict the political and economic participation of the Igbo people in Nigeria’s most populous and economically important state.
Destruction of Igbo Properties and Economic Interests
Igbo-phobia has not been confined to rhetoric and political marginalisation. It has also resulted in the deliberate targeting and destruction of Igbo-owned properties and economic interests across Nigeria. The Igbo people, known for their entrepreneurial spirit and significant contributions to commerce, have built thriving businesses in various parts of Nigeria, particularly in cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. However, these economic successes have also made them targets of envy and animosity.
In the run-up to the 2023 general elections, Igbo-dominated markets in Lagos, such as Akere Market, were set ablaze by arsonists, with the intention of destroying the economic livelihoods of the Igbo traders. These acts of destruction were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of hostility and economic sabotage directed at the Igbo people. In 2019, similar threats were made by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of Nigeria’s president-elect, who warned that properties owned by the Igbo in Lagos could be forcefully appropriated if her party lost power in the state. These threats and actions are indicative of a wider campaign to weaken the economic foothold of the Igbo people in Nigeria and to instil fear in their communities.
The targeting of Igbo-owned businesses and properties during periods of political unrest or electoral uncertainty has become a recurring feature of Nigeria’s socio-political landscape. These acts of destruction and seizure of Igbo assets are not only economically devastating but also serve to reinforce the message that the Igbo people are not welcome or safe in other parts of Nigeria, further entrenching their status as outsiders within the federation.
Igbo-Phobia as a Form of Ethnic Cleansing
The violence and destruction of Igbo properties and economic interests are part of a broader strategy that can be characterised as a form of ethnic cleansing. Ethnic cleansing refers to the systematic removal or elimination of a particular ethnic group from a region through violence, intimidation, and other coercive means. While the Nigerian government and political elites may not openly advocate for the extermination of the Igbo people, the pattern of behaviour, particularly the targeting of Igbo businesses, physical attacks, and the political marginalisation of the region, suggest a deliberate effort to undermine the presence and influence of the Igbo across Nigeria.
The recurrent outbreaks of violence against Igbo people in Northern Nigeria, as well as in parts of the South-West, demonstrate that Igbo-phobia has deep and far-reaching consequences. These attacks, often framed as spontaneous acts of mob violence, are in fact the result of a sustained campaign of dehumanisation and ethnic scapegoating. Igbo people are often blamed for socio-economic problems in other regions, much like the Jews in pre-World War II Europe, or Nigerians in South Africa today. This scapegoating has led to violent outbursts and pogroms, such as those seen in the 1960s, and continues to manifest today in acts of targeted violence and destruction.
Social Media and Online Hate Campaigns
The rise of social media has provided a new platform for the dissemination of Igbo-phobic sentiments. In the lead-up to the 2023 elections, hate speech and incitements to violence against the Igbo people proliferated on platforms like Twitter, with prominent social media influencers and political commentators joining in the attacks. Figures like Reno Omokri and Bayo Onanuga, both with large followings, repeatedly linked the Igbo people’s political aspirations to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a self-determination group, as a way of delegitimising their right to participate in Nigerian politics. This narrative of equating Igbo political ambitions with secessionist tendencies has fuelled ethnic tension and given justification to those who seek to undermine and attack the Igbo people.
The ease with which hateful and divisive content spreads on social media has heightened the threat to Igbo people’s safety and livelihoods, as online hate speech often translates into real-world violence. The systematic use of social media platforms to vilify the Igbo people is yet another dimension of the discrimination they face, further isolating them from mainstream Nigerian society and making them targets for violence.
The Argument for Remedial Secession
The persistence of Igbo-phobia, manifested through targeted violence, economic sabotage, political marginalisation, and online hate campaigns, presents a compelling case for remedial secession. Under international law, a people may pursue secession as a last resort when their rights to equal protection and non-discrimination are systematically violated, and when the state either fails to protect them or is complicit in their persecution. The Igbo people’s experience in Nigeria meets these criteria, as they have been subjected to decades of systemic discrimination, exclusion, and violence, with little to no recourse within the existing political framework.
International legal precedents, such as the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on Kosovo, establish that remedial secession is justified in cases of extreme oppression and discrimination. In the case of the South-East region, the Nigerian state’s inability or unwillingness to address the persistent targeting of the Igbo people, and its failure to provide adequate protection, provide a strong justification for pursuing self-determination through secession.
Conclusion: The Urgency of Secession as a Solution to Igbo-Phobia
The consistent targeting of the Igbo people, both through violence and the deliberate destruction of their economic interests, constitutes a sustained assault on their rights, dignity, and future within the Nigerian federation. The deeply entrenched nature of Igbo-phobia, its historical roots, and its current manifestations make it clear that these challenges are not going away. The systemic discrimination and violence faced by the Igbo people highlight the failure of the Nigerian state to protect one of its largest ethnic groups, creating an environment where secession is not only justified but necessary.
Remedial secession provides a path for the Igbo people to safeguard their rights, protect their economic interests, and ensure their political future in a new sovereign state where they can thrive without fear of persecution. The international community must recognise the legitimacy of the Igbo-Biafra people’s claims and support a peaceful resolution that addresses the systemic injustices they have endured.
Uche Mefor is the Convenor of the Igbo-Biafra Nationalists and the Indigenous people of Igbo Nation for Self-determination
