IPOB Lawyer Ejiofor Asks Tinubu Government To Officially Designate Killer-Herdsmen As Terrorist Group

Ejiofor, who made the demand in a post he shared Wednesday on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, cited recent statements by the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia.

Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has asked President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government to officially designate killer-herdsmen terrorising different parts of the country as a terrorist group.

Ejiofor, who made the demand in a post he shared Wednesday on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, cited recent statements by the Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia.

The lawyer referenced Governor Alia’s appearance on Arise News on Wednesday morning, during which the governor explicitly described the activities of violent armed herdsmen in his state as terrorist acts.

“Now that the Governor of Benue State, Dr. Hyacinth Alia, has unequivocally acknowledged and consequently labelled the murderous Fulani herdsmen as terrorists during his media appearance on Arise TV this morning, will the Federal Government finally act?” Ejiofor wrote.

Ejiofor emphasised that Governor Alia, as the Chief Security Officer of Benue State, has offered a candid reflection of the on-ground reality, echoing public sentiment that views the persistent attacks on farming communities as ideologically driven and tantamount to terrorism.

He questioned the Nigerian government’s perceived inaction, stating, “The question remains: will Abuja take this seriously and officially designate these killers for what they truly are?

“Or shall we continue ignoring their escalating bloodshed and the clear ideological undertones that many believe reflect a jihadist agenda?”

He added, “At what point do we begin to call a spade by its name and confront terror in the language it understands?”

The lawyer’s comments come amid renewed violence in Benue and some other states in the country, where attacks by armed herdsmen on communities have led to widespread displacement and fatalities.

Ejiofor’s call draws attention to what many perceive as a double standard in the Nigerian government’s handling of non-state actors.

In 2017, the former President Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government formally proscribed IPOB as a terrorist organisation, citing its activities and agitations for Biafran secession as threats to national security.

The decision was met with controversy and condemnation from rights groups and some international observers, who argued that IPOB had not met globally recognised criteria for terrorism designation.

Since then, IPOB’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has faced prosecution on charges including treasonable felony.

Ejiofor’s latest remarks reignite debate over the Nigerian government’s counterterrorism policies and the criteria used in designating groups as terrorist entities.

With mounting pressure from affected communities and regional leaders, it remains to be seen whether the Tinubu administration will respond with a similar designation against armed herdsmen responsible for ongoing violence.

TIME FOR FEDERAL ACTION ON DESIGNATION OF KILLER HERDSMEN AS TERRORIST GROUP.

Now that the Governor of Benue State, His Excellency Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, has unequivocally acknowledged and consequently labelled the murderous Fulani herdsmen as TERRORISTS during his media… pic.twitter.com/6Sv5qmtlCu

— bar ifeanyi ejiofor (@EjioforBar) April 23, 2025