The Federal Government has been tasked by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, or HURIWA, with acting immediately against Mr. Kingsley Ugiagbe, a Nigerian living in Vienna, Austria, for making incendiary and dangerous remarks that threaten to kill thousands of Nigerians who are Igbo in origin.

The group said that it vehemently denounced the divisive discourse and urged the Nigerian authorities to exert the same dedication and pressure as was demonstrated in the case of Nigerian Mrs. Amaka Sonnberger, who was detained by Canadian authorities after advocating for the poisoning of Yorubas and Benin people.

HURIWA claims that in addition to being a question of justice, calling for Ugiagbe’s arrest is also an essential step in averting ethnic conflict and advancing peace in Nigeria.

The human rights advocacy group expressed grave alarm over the growing trend of ethnic hate speech, which it termed as a severe threat to Nigeria’s precarious unity, in a statement signed by Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Coordinator.

The Nigerian government acted quickly when Sonnberger’s video, in which she advocated for the poisoning of specific ethnic groups, went viral, as the DAILY POST noted.

The association urged that Ugiagbe, who has openly threatened to poison the Igbo people in large numbers, be dealt with using the same strategy.

According to HURIWA’s statement, “Nigeria should apply the same pressure on the Canadian government that resulted in Amaka Sonnberger’s arrest and prosecution in the case of Kingsley Ugiagbe.”

“Justice must be served; the seriousness of his threats cannot be disregarded. Wherever and whenever hate speech and incitement to violence occur, they should be addressed, and the perpetrators should be held accountable.

The human rights organisation issued a warning, stating that if Ugiagbe was not dealt with swiftly, it would send a dangerous signal that Igbo hate speech and threats may go unpunished. This would give others the confidence to spread hate and encourage violence.

Furthermore, the group demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fire Special Assistant on Strategic Communications Bayo Onanuga right away, calling him a known Igbo bigot.

HURIWA claims that Onanuga has openly expressed his contempt for Igbos, particularly during the 2023 elections when he was alleged to have made provocative remarks against the Igbos’ participation in Lagos politics.

HURIWA describes Asanuga’s public statement that 2023 will mark the end of Igbo political activism in Lagos as “a dangerous narrative that incites ethnic hatred and could have severe consequences for national unity.”

“Bayo Onanuga has made it quite evident that he is deeply enraged with the Igbo people, and his words imply that he is prepared to inflame tensions between the ethnic groups in the future.

His claim that Igbos will stop being involved in Lagos politics after 2023 is blatant evidence of his intention to marginalise and ignore one of Nigeria’s largest ethnic groups. Such an individual has no business serving in the President’s administration in a strategic communications capacity, according to HURIWA.

According to HURIWA, Tinubu’s decision to keep Onanuga in his administration sends the incorrect message to Nigerians, especially those in the Igbo community, who might believe that the President is subtly supporting anti-Igbo propaganda.

But, the group made it clear that, considering his familial ties to the Igbo community, it does not think Tinubu has any anti-Igbo attitudes.