Nigerian Muslim media group warns of threats against Igbo Muslims

Media watchdog seeks police response to alleged threats against Igbo Muslims

By Abdullahi Yusuf

A Nigerian Muslim advocacy group has raised concerns over the safety of Igbo Muslims in the country’s southeast, urging security agencies to act on what it described as threats circulating on social media.

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) said an audio message, widely shared online in recent days, contained calls targeting Igbo Muslims and posed a potential risk to public safety.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, issue of this magnitude raises concern,” the group said, adding that citizens deserved reassurance that preventive measures were in place.

According to MMWG, the speaker in the recording identified himself as an Igbo man and made statements the group described as inciting violence and religious intolerance. Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio.

The group condemned the message as criminal and incompatible with Nigeria’s constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and the right to change one’s faith.

MMWG said Islam had been practised in parts of Igboland for more than a century and questioned what it called attempts to frame religious identity as a justification for hostility.

The organisation also linked the incident to broader insecurity challenges in Nigeria, including insurgency, kidnappings and attacks by armed groups, arguing that early intervention by authorities was critical to preventing escalation.

MMWG urged the inspector-general of police and heads of other security agencies to clarify whether the individual behind the recording had been identified or detained.

“A stitch in time saves many lives,” the group said.

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