The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Federal Government to arrest Mr. Kingsley Ugiagbe, a Nigerian living in Vienna, Austria, for allegedly making threatening and inflammatory statements advocating mass violence against Igbos. HURIWA condemned the hateful speech, urging the authorities to act swiftly to prevent potential ethnic violence.
The association’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, emphasized the seriousness of the situation in a statement. HURIWA compared Ugiagbe’s case to that of Canada-based Nigerian, Mrs. Amaka Sonnberger, who was arrested after calling for the poisoning of Yorubas and Benin people. HURIWA demanded the same level of commitment in Ugiagbe’s case to prevent ethnic unrest.
“The gravity of his threats cannot be ignored, and justice must be served,” HURIWA stated, adding that failure to act would send a dangerous signal that hate speech against Igbos could go unpunished.
The organization also raised concerns about the Nigerian government’s tolerance of anti-Igbo sentiment, particularly targeting Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s Special Assistant on Strategic Communications. HURIWA criticized Onanuga for his inflammatory comments about Igbos during the 2023 elections, calling for his removal from office to promote national unity.
HURIWA reaffirmed that hate speech and incitement to violence should not be tolerated, regardless of the ethnic group involved, and urged the government to take strong action to preserve peace and harmony in Nigeria.