Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, Nigerian human rights activist, lawyer, professor and author
Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chidi Odinkalu, has blamed cult groups allegedly funded by politicians for the increasing insecurity in the South-East region of Nigeria.
Odinkalu made the claim during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today on Thursday, saying it was “ridiculous” to blame the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) or its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) for every violent incident in the region.
“The idea that every issue in the South-East is an IPOB issue is ridiculous,” Odinkalu said. “That is absolutely not the case. Let me tell you this: based on the work I have done on this, in my estimation, the biggest issue in terms of security in the South-East is, I regret to disappoint you, not IPOB; it is a word: a sect funded by politicians.”
He described sectarianism as a “terrible problem” that has quietly become the most serious security threat in the region. He said, “Now, cults are the biggest single issue, and you have no idea how terrible the problem of cults is in the southeast at this particular time.”
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While acknowledging the presence of IPOB in the region, Odinkalu said its influence and role in the violence has been exaggerated. “Undoubtedly, there is an IPOB issue, but the IPOB issue has been blown out of proportion,” he said.
He cited communities where IPOB has little or no influence, arguing that the group is unfairly blamed for incidents that have other causes. “If anyone tells you that Obosi in Anambra State is an IPOB issue, that person is a liar. IPOB cannot survive in Obosi,” he said.
Odinkalu stressed that the more urgent concern is the alleged political sponsorship of violent sects, which he said has created a network of armed groups operating beyond state control.
According to him, addressing insecurity in the South-East requires moving beyond political rhetoric and tackling the deeper problem of politically supported sectarianism that has taken root across the region.
