Lawyer Faults Gumi: Fulani terrorism can’t be equated with IPOB self-determination
As Omirhobo says Nigeria must stop rewarding violence
Maureen Aguta
Human rights lawyer and public interest advocate, Chief Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo , has condemned what he described as an attempt by Islamic cleric Shekh Ahmad Gumi and some northern elites to draw a moral equivalence between the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Fulani terrorists.
In a strongly worded statement, Omirhobo said the comparison was “reckless, misleading, and an insult to the victims of terrorism.”
“IPOB is demanding a separate state through agitation and self-determination. Fulani terrorists are engaged in revenge killings, kidnappings, land occupation, and violent domination. These are not the same and must never be treated as such,” he declared.
The lawyer challenged Gumi’s claim that Fulani terrorists are driven by grievances.
“If they have grievances, Nigerians deserve clear answers: who offended them, and what injustice justifies the killing, kidnap, rape, and displacement of thousands?” he asked.
Omirhobo argued that the Fulani are not an oppressed people, noting that they occupy major positions in government, the security forces, and the national economy.
He insisted that Nigeria must “stop rewarding violence and blaming victims.”
Evidence of Terror in the North
Omirhobo’s statement draws attention to the ongoing wave of violent attacks across northern Nigeria, often attributed to armed herders and bandits.
In June 2025, over 100 villagers were killed in Yelewata, Benue State, in a night raid blamed on armed herders. Houses were torched and farmlands destroyed, according to rights monitors. In May, another attack in Mangu, Plateau State, left at least 42 people dead, while local officials reported 20 more deaths in fresh assaults across Nasarawa and Zamfara in October.
Security analysts say such violence—marked by killings, mass abductions, and land seizures—has displaced hundreds of thousands across the North-West and North-Central regions.
“These are acts of terrorism, not agitation,” Omirhobo said. “Terrorists kidnap schoolchildren and farmers, demand ransom, and occupy land. They should not be compared to people demanding a referendum.”
IPOB’s Self-Determination Push
By contrast, IPOB’s struggle is anchored on a political and legal campaign for the right of the South East to determine its future. Founded by Nnamdi Kanu, the group has consistently called for a referendum to decide whether the region should remain in Nigeria or form a new state of Biafra.
In recent statements, IPOB reiterated that it seeks “a peaceful separation through a United Nations-supervised vote,” not violent confrontation.
However, the Nigerian government has proscribed the movement and charged Kanu with terrorism—an accusation the group denies.
International rights observers have often distinguished between agitation for self-determination—a right recognised under international law—and acts of armed rebellion.
“Self-determination is a legal debate; terrorism is a crime. The two must never be confused or equated,” Omirhobo stated.
Call for National Reflection
The lawyer warned that equating separatist activism with terrorism only deepens national injustice and encourages violence.
He cited the Niger Delta, his home region, as an example of a people with legitimate grievances: decades of oil exploitation, environmental devastation, and poverty. Yet, he noted, most communities there pursue justice through advocacy and lawful engagement, not indiscriminate killings.
“Our rivers and creeks are polluted beyond use, but we do not take up arms against innocent Nigerians,” he said. “We seek justice, not bloodshed.”
Omirhobo accused some northern elites of “glorifying terrorists” and urged the government to focus on justice and equality rather than appeasement.
“Nigeria must choose,” he concluded. “Will we continue to justify terror and silence truth—or will we uphold justice and the sanctity of human life?”