Ohanaeze Youths Reject U.S. Military Action, Demand Referendum for Nigeria’s Future — The Bureau News Nigeria News Today
By Andrew Haruna | The Bureau News
OWERRI, IMO STATE — The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) has rejected the idea of a United States military intervention in Nigeria over alleged religious persecution, instead calling for international support to push for an urgent national referendum.
The group’s National President, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, told journalists in Owerri on Wednesday that a political solution, not foreign military action, would address Nigeria’s deep-rooted challenges and end the recurring violence against Christians in the country.
OYC Says Nigeria Needs a Referendum, Not Religious War
Comrade Igboayaka said the Igbo youth movement appreciates U.S. concern over reports of Christian killings in Nigeria, particularly in the Southeast and Middle Belt regions, but warned that military intervention on religious grounds could worsen instability.
“What Nigeria urgently needs is a referendum, not a religious war. A political solution will restore justice and unity among our people,” he said.
The OYC urged former U.S. President Donald Trump—who recently raised alarm over Christian persecution in Nigeria—to instead champion a global effort that pressures the Federal Government to organize a peaceful, United Nations-supervised referendum within one year.
Group Cites Christian Killings and IPOB Repression
The council accused successive Nigerian administrations of using military operations to suppress the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a pro-self-determination group led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, while overlooking attacks by armed herdsmen and bandits that have devastated Christian communities.
OYC cited reports from the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), alleging tens of thousands of Christian deaths across Nigeria since 2015. The group claimed that security forces had often targeted unarmed IPOB supporters, particularly in the Southeast.
Call for Global Mediation and Justice
The youth body appealed to international leaders to support dialogue, human-rights reforms, and a referendum that could allow Nigerians to decide their political destiny peacefully.
“A lasting solution can only be achieved through a referendum,” Igboayaka said. “U.S. military action on religious grounds may provide temporary relief but not justice.”
The OYC further urged President Trump and global Christian leaders to intervene diplomatically to end what it described as “genocidal violence” against Christians, calling on the Nigerian Government to release IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu and initiate genuine reconciliation.
Background: Rising Religious Tensions in Nigeria
Religious and ethnic violence has persisted across Nigeria for over a decade, with clashes between farmers and herders, attacks by extremist groups, and military crackdowns in the Southeast adding to national insecurity. Human-rights groups have continued to demand impartial investigations and political restructuring to prevent further escalation.