By Titus Eleweke
Anambra-born human rights lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has warned Nigerian politicians against recruiting and arming thugs to intimidate political opponents ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ejiofor, lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), gave the warning in his Weekend Musings titled, “The Monsters You Create for Political Power Today May Become the Terrorists Who Haunt You and Your Generations Tomorrow.”
He cautioned that youths recruited for electoral violence could eventually become independent criminals, turning against their political sponsors when criminal activities become more profitable.
According to him, Nigeria’s security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence, highlight the dangers of illegal arms proliferation, youth exploitation and the failure to prosecute sponsors of violence.
The lawyer, who holds the traditional title of Dunu-Ezeugosinachi, questioned whether politicians who arm thugs for elections could guarantee that they would surrender their weapons afterwards.
“You may hire a thug for an election, but you cannot hire his conscience, guarantee his loyalty, or dictate the next target of his gun,” he warned.
Ejiofor explained that democracy should not be treated as warfare, adding that political ambitions must never take precedence over human lives.
“Democracy is not warfare, and political opponents are not enemies to be exterminated,” he said.
He called on security agencies and electoral authorities to investigate credible threats of political violence and ensure that anyone who finances, arms or recruits criminal groups is brought to justice, regardless of political affiliation.
Ejiofor also warned against selective enforcement of the law, insisting that political connections must not shield anyone involved in sponsoring violence.
He urged politicians to consider the long-term consequences of their actions, noting that political offices and alliances might change, but insecurity created through electoral violence could persist for generations.
“Those who sow violence to harvest political power may yet reap a harvest of terror,” he said, urging Nigerians to learn from history and prevent another generation from paying the price of political violence.
Tags: Ifeanyi Ejiofor, 2027 Elections, Political Violence
