HURIWA Faults South-East Govs Over Insecurity, Leadership Vacuum

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a scathing condemnation of South-East governors, accusing them of presiding over a growing “leadership vacuum” amid escalating violence, ritual killings, and insecurity across the region.

In a statement released Tuesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group decried a series of violent incidents, including the massacre in Arondizuogu, fresh attacks in Ehime Mbano, and the ritual killing of a pregnant nurse in Anambra State.

According to HURIWA, at least seven people were killed in coordinated assaults on the Ejezie, Umualaoma, and Ndiakuwata Uno communities in Imo State’s Ideato North Local Government Area. The attacks were allegedly carried out by suspected operatives of the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

“What happened in Arondizuogu is not just a crime, it is an affront to our collective conscience,” Onwubiko stated. “These victims were not just statistics—they were fathers, mothers, youths, and children. They were our people. The silence from political leaders is not just shameful; it is dangerous.”

The organization singled out Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma for criticism, noting his failure to visit the affected communities or publicly address the tragedy. HURIWA contrasted this silence with images of the governor hosting the Super Falcons in Abuja while residents grieved.

“This is the height of insensitivity and a clear indication of the disconnect between the political elite and the suffering masses,” HURIWA said.

The group further condemned a reported daytime siege in Umualuaku, Ehime Mbano, where armed men allegedly trapped residents inside their homes in an attack HURIWA described as evidence of a growing insurgency.

HURIWA also expressed outrage over the ritual killing of a pregnant nurse in Ogbunike, Anambra State. Her dismembered body was found in a soakaway, and police investigations revealed that her body parts had been sold to native doctors. A female suspect is currently in custody.

In a separate case in Enugu, HURIWA cited the discovery of decomposing corpses in the compound of a traditional healer, Obi Obieze, who allegedly abducted a 13-year-old girl and later escaped. The group claimed state authorities had “quietly dismissed” the case.

“These incidents confirm the entrenchment of ritual killings and organ trafficking in the region,” the group said. “It is a complete moral collapse and a failure of law enforcement.”

HURIWA also criticized the South-East Governors Forum for its failure to create a regional security outfit akin to the South-West’s Amotekun Corps. It called for an emergency summit led by Senator Mbata and involving traditional rulers, civil society groups, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Backing recent comments by human rights lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the group described the Arondizuogu killings as a “dark chapter” that reflected a total breakdown of state authority.

“It is no longer acceptable for a region to bleed in silence,” the group warned. “Let there be no more blood. Let leaders rise before Alaigbo collapses completely.”

HURIWA concluded by calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct national security agencies to prioritize the South-East. It warned that if urgent actions are not taken, the region could soon descend into a full-blown humanitarian crisis.