The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed concern over the escalating insecurity in the South-East, faulting the region’s governors and political leaders for failing to take decisive action.
In a strongly worded statement, the group condemned the absence of a coordinated regional security outfit similar to the South-West’s Amotekun, describing it as a glaring leadership failure that has left communities vulnerable to armed non-state actors and widespread violence.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA decried what it described as the “persistent inaction” of South-East governors, accusing them of standing idle while the region descends into chaos at the hands of armed non-state actors.
HURIWA expressed grave concern over the governors’ failure to emulate the South-West’s model of regional security cooperation, specifically the establishment of Amotekun, a localized security network designed to address threats within its states.
“Why has the South-East not replicated a similar initiative to protect its citizens from growing lawlessness?” Onwubiko questioned.
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The rights group lamented that the entire South-East has become a landscape of “ungoverned spaces,” where various armed groups operate with impunity, wielding sophisticated weapons and instilling fear in communities.
According to HURIWA, this lawlessness has become profitable for political office holders who continue to draw security votes without deploying real solutions.
“Insecurity has practically crippled the region’s economy. The situation is compounded by the prolonged enforcement of ‘sit-at-home’ orders by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which have led to widespread disruptions in commerce, education, and transportation. Yet, the response from both the federal and state governments has been lethargic at best”, the statement read.
HURIWA also took aim at the federal government, accusing it of complicity through inaction and a failure to address the underlying grievances fuelling unrest in the region.
Among the cited issues are the continued detention of IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the political marginalization of Igbos in key federal appointments and infrastructure development.
“The federal government’s failure to act is no longer just neglect—it’s beginning to look like calculated abandonment. Allowing insecurity to fester, while blaming its victims, mirrors the same unfortunate pattern seen in past conflicts like those in the Middle Belt”, Onwubiko said.
Quoting security analysts, HURIWA said that the visible retreat of government presence—such as the absence of police and military patrols on highways and in towns during initial ‘sit-at-home’ orders—contributed to the strengthening of non-state actors.
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“Markets, banks, schools, and transportation services have all been forced to close, not only because of threats, but due to the sheer absence of state protection,” the group noted.
The rights group called for urgent action, advocating the formation of a regional, non-partisan, community-driven security architecture for the South-East, capable of working in synergy with conventional security forces.
Additionally, HURIWA urged Nigeria’s service chiefs to adopt a new approach by ending the alleged extortion by security agents on highways and implementing proactive strategies to reclaim areas under the control of armed groups.
“The time to act is now. Every delay emboldens these rogue elements and further endangers lives, livelihoods, and the future of the South-East,” HURIWA warned.
The association emphasized that only a coordinated and homegrown security solution can reverse the tide of violence and restore peace to the region, urging both state and federal authorities to prioritize the protection of life and property over political expediency.
