Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has strongly denied reports circulating on social media that its leadership issued an “urgent call to arms” to Igbo people, warning that a war was imminent and urging young men to acquire weapons.
The organisation described the report as fake, dangerous and deliberately designed to cause fear, provoke violence and damage the image of the Igbo socio-cultural group. It urged Nigerians to ignore the claims and warned that the spread of such false information poses a serious threat to national peace and security.
The denial was contained in a press statement issued on Saturday by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Ezechi Chukwu. The statement followed the widespread circulation of a viral message on social media platforms claiming that the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Senator Azuta Mbata, had called on every Igbo man from the age of 18 to get a gun because “a war is coming in days.”
According to the viral post, which carried a misleading “Breaking News” headline, Senator Mbata allegedly advised Igbo youths to acquire weapons, whether locally or foreign-made, in preparation for an impending conflict. The message quickly gained attention online, raising concern among the public and prompting reactions across different parts of the country.
Reacting to the development, Ohanaeze Ndigbo dismissed the report in strong terms, describing it as “false, malicious and incendiary.” The organisation said the story did not come from any of its recognised communication channels and was a complete fabrication.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has noted with grave concern a false, malicious and incendiary story currently being circulated on social media platforms, falsely attributed to the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide,” the statement said.
“It is framed under a misleading ‘Breaking’ headline and fraudulently claims that the Ohanaeze President General issued an urgent call to arms, warning that every Igbo man from age 18 must get a gun because a war is coming in days.”
Dr Chukwu stated clearly that Senator Azuta Mbata never made such statements and never authorised any publication calling for violence or illegal arms acquisition. He stressed that the claims were entirely untrue and should be completely ignored.
“Let it be stated clearly, categorically and without any equivocation that Senator Azuta Mbata never made such statements, never issued any call to arms and never authorised any such publication,” the statement added.
The organisation further described the viral report as reckless, dangerous and criminal, saying it was designed to incite fear, provoke violence and portray the Igbo people as promoters of lawlessness.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo also defended the character and record of its President-General, describing him as a respected elder statesman and a committed nationalist whose leadership has always been based on peaceful engagement and dialogue.
“Senator Azuta Mbata is a respected elder statesman and an amiable leader of the Igbo nation,” the statement said. “His engagement for the welfare of Ndigbo has always been anchored on peaceful advocacy, constitutionalism, justice and fairness.”
According to the organisation, the President-General cannot, by character or conviction, be associated with calls for violence or actions that could lead to a breakdown of law and order in the country.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide reiterated that it remains a responsible socio-cultural organisation committed to unity, dialogue and peaceful coexistence within Nigeria. It stressed that neither the leadership nor the organisation would be part of any action capable of threatening national peace or inter-ethnic harmony.
The group also called on security agencies to investigate the origin of the fake message and bring those responsible to justice. It warned that the spread of such false information could have serious consequences for public peace and national security.
“We therefore call on the relevant security agencies to urgently trace, flush out and prosecute the author or authors of this toxic social media fabrication,” the statement said. “Their actions pose a grave threat to public peace, national security and inter-ethnic harmony.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo advised members of the public to rely only on official statements from credible sources and avoid sharing unverified information, especially on sensitive issues that could inflame tensions in the country.
The organisation also described those behind the fake report as enemies of the Igbo people and enemies of Nigeria, accusing them of attempting to sow discord and instability.
“This fake story is a product of deliberate falsehood, crafted to deceive the unsuspecting public and malign the leadership and corporate integrity of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide,” the statement concluded.
The incident comes at a time when Nigeria is grappling with security challenges, including communal clashes, banditry and misinformation on social media. In recent years, the spread of fake news has become a major concern for authorities and civil society groups, as false reports have been linked to panic, violence and ethnic tension in different parts of the country.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, founded in 1976, is the apex socio-cultural organisation of the Igbo people. Over the years, it has played a key role in advocating for the political, economic and social interests of Ndigbo through peaceful and constitutional means. The organisation has consistently called for dialogue, equity and national unity within the framework of a united Nigeria.
As social media continues to play a major role in information sharing, stakeholders have renewed calls for responsible use of digital platforms and greater public awareness on how to identify and reject false information.
For now, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has urged Nigerians to remain calm, law-abiding and focused on peaceful coexistence, stressing that it has not, and will not, issue any call to arms or support violence in any form.
