Arrest Northern miscreants threatening attacks on Southerners, Christians, HURIWA tells DSS

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a stern call to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to urgently track down and arrest individuals in Northern Nigeria who are releasing inciting videos on social media, urging Northern Muslims to attack Christians and Southerners residing in the region.

In a statement released on Wednesday by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group warned that failure to act swiftly could escalate tensions across the country, potentially triggering retaliatory violence in the South and pushing Nigeria towards civil unrest.

Hate Speech and Incitement to Violence

HURIWA expressed deep concern over widely circulated videos featuring certain Northern individuals openly calling for attacks on Southerners and Christians. The advocacy group noted that these instigators claim to be seeking revenge for the recent killing of 16 Northerners in Uromi, Edo State—a tragic incident that has sparked nationwide outrage.

“The media is replete with reports about identified miscreants operating from the North, who are disseminating hate-filled, divisive messages via social media, calling for violence against Southerners and Christians in retaliation for the killings in Uromi,” the statement read.

The group criticized the silence of security agencies, questioning why the DSS and the NSA have yet to take decisive action against the individuals making these threats.

Ultimatum Issued to President Tinubu, Edo Governor

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HURIWA highlighted a recent video in which an unidentified Northern man issued a 48-hour ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo. The man demanded swift action to identify and apprehend those responsible for the Uromi killings, warning that failure to do so would provoke violent reprisals against Southerners in the North.

In the three-minute, 30-second video, the speaker expressed frustration over the deaths of the Northern victims, stating that patience among Northerners was wearing thin. He suggested that any retaliatory violence should be blamed on the South.

Furthermore, HURIWA pointed out that another individual, reportedly wearing a Nigerian police uniform, posted on Facebook vowing to take personal revenge for the killing of Northerners in Uromi.

Security Agencies Must Act Swiftly – HURIWA

Reacting to these disturbing developments, HURIWA urged security agencies to immediately arrest those making inflammatory statements before their threats materialize.

“The DSS and other intelligence agencies must move swiftly to track, arrest, and prosecute these individuals instigating violence. These threats are real and must be taken seriously before they escalate into full-scale reprisals,” the statement emphasized.

HURIWA further warned that any failure to act decisively against these perpetrators could embolden more individuals to incite violence, potentially plunging the country into deeper chaos.

The human rights group called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to demonstrate a firm stance against incitement, ensuring that no individual or group is allowed to fan the flames of ethnic and religious violence in Nigeria.

The group concluded its statement with a proverb: “The security forces should make hay while the sun shines and chase these black goats now before the night arrives.”