GENEVA (25 August 2017) – An ultimatum telling Nigeria’s Igbo minority in the north of the country to flee their homes is of “grave concern”, a group of United Nations human rights experts* has warned.

The experts also deplored a hate song and audio message being circulated on the internet and on social media. The Hausa-language audio message urges northern Nigerians to destroy the property of Igbo people and kill anyone who refuses to leave by 1 October, the same date given in the ultimatum.

“We are gravely concerned about this proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property, especially considering the previous history of such violence,” the experts said.

“The Government must be vigilant, as hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.”

The ultimatum was issued on 6 June 2017 during a press briefing by the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum in the city of Kaduna. It called for sustained and coordinated campaigns to remove the Igbo population from the northern region.

The human rights experts noted that some local and national figures, as well as some media representatives, had publicly denounced any form of hate speech and incitement, but said other officials still needed to follow suit.

“We are deeply concerned that some prominent local leaders and elders have not condemned the ultimatum, hate speech and the perpetrators,” the experts stressed.

“We call on the Government, media and civil society representatives, and local and religious leaders, to reject and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms.”

The UN experts said any incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence had to be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and punished. “This includes the people behind the ultimatum and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message,” they added.

(*) The experts: Mr. Mutuma Ruteere, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Mr. Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on minority issues, and Ms. Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

For further information and media requests, please contact Ms. Karin Hechenleitner Schacht (+41 22 917 9408 / khechenleitner@ohchr.org / racism@ohchr.org) or Mr. Damianos Serefidis ....

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=21994&LangID=E

The Nigerian government. Reds to be smart and not use force at all to avoid giving the ipob serious leverage because the international community will immediately get behind them .

Every signatory of that dumb Kaduna declaration will definitely persecuted by ICC Hague ... All of them would go to jail...

It is like the hunter will eventually be hunted.The same UN Almajiri youth prayed to label Ipob terrorist group is now calling for their arrest.

Ipob are well too organized and smart the zoo never in their million years match IPOB members....... Nigerians will not survive it they will lose a lot from international support since they fight against IPOB organization that spread all over the world.....the tribal war will escalate outside Nigeria if they push IPOB to the wall they should be very careful

Due to the Marginalization policies of the federal Government of Nigeria against the Easterners especially in political, economic, education and other endeavours by introducing measures like Quota system, federal character, etc. leading to unequal level playing ground since the end of the Biafra – Nigeria war. These measures were introduced by Nigerian govt with hope it will not only hinder but destroy the easterners on the other hand it is pivotal to the current successes recorded by easterners all over the world. When one take a look at every top Universities, Businesses, Trade, commerce, Political not only in America (South and North) but Europe, Asia and Africa you will definitely find an Easterner . It has really played very well for their progress and they remain indestructible by the Nigerian machineries whilst the Northern Nigeria and to a large extent the Nigeria state wallow in poverty and tending towards self-destruction as is the case today.

Gone are the days some barbaric humanity would feel they are the harbingers of life and death or think that whatsoever they say is final.The world have gone more sophisticated beyond all that shit.Live and let's live. Unity is not by coersion("One Nigeria") or cajoling.Arewa my ass.

Kazim88:
Every signatory of that dumb Kaduna declaration will definitely persecuted by ICC Hague ... All of them would go to jail...

I sincerely pray.Ndi oshi

Paperwhite:
Gone are the days some barbaric humanity would feel they are the harbingers of life and death or think that whatsoever they say is final.The world have gone more sophisticated beyond all that shit.Live and let's live. Unity is not by coersion("One Nigeria" or cajoling.Arewa my ass.

The world of 1967 is different from 2017...

These Arewa people stupidly thinks the world starts and ends in the North...

The act without understanding the local and international consequences...

i feel it is high time a United Nations peace keeping force is deployed in Nigeria , i have not recovered from the matching border giving by the president to the military to deal ruthlessly with the BSS, a non arms carrying group. while armed herdsmen and Arewa youths are roaming around without any checks

Paperwhite:
I sincerely pray.Ndi oshi

It is a certain fact.... Some might be jail for life, some executed..

Those Northern politicians would not be able to save them from the shame and humiliation....

If only they know the international interpretation of that dumb Kaduna Declaration... They would had been humble enough to beg the whole Nigeria for forgiveness.

ibadantiti:
Due to the Marginalization policies of the federal Government of Nigeria against the Easterners especially in political, economic, education and other endeavours by introducing measures like Quota system, federal character, etc. leading to unequal level playing ground since the end of the Biafra – Nigeria war. These measures were introduced by Nigerian govt with hope it will not only hinder but destroy the easterners on the other hand it is pivotal to the current successes recorded by easterners all over the world. When one take a look at every top Universities, Businesses, Trade, commerce, Political not only in America (South and North) but Europe, Asia and Africa you will defiantly find an Easterner . It has really played very well for their progress and they remain indestructible by the Nigerian machineries whilst the Northern Nigeria and to a large extent the Nigeria state wallow in poverty and tending towards self-destruction as is the case today.

Same myopic disease you all suffer from.

Quota system designed to subdue the east. Who created the policy, when was it created? Why was it created ?

One easterner in top schools abroad. Are there no , ss,ne,nc,nw,sw.. students in top schools abroad.

Your foolishly blame the north for all your life's problems yet you claim your better than the North. So how has the north subdued you.

Lalasticlala

Bye Bye Nigeria....