Politician-Funded Cults Pose Nigeria’s Biggest Security Threat in South-East — Odinkalu

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

Politician-Funded Cults Pose Nigeria’s Biggest Security Threat in South-East — Odinkalu

Renowned human rights lawyer and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu, has identified cult groups allegedly sponsored by politicians as the major source of insecurity in Nigeria’s South-East region.

Speaking on a television programme on Thursday, Odinkalu dismissed the widespread belief that the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) alone is responsible for the crisis in the region.

According to him, while IPOB’s activities contribute to the unrest, cultism—fueled by political interests—has become a far greater menace.

“The biggest single security issue confronting the South-East right now is not IPOB; it’s cults financed by politicians,” Odinkalu said, warning that the extent of the problem has been largely underestimated.

He stressed that attributing every violent incident in the South-East to IPOB was both inaccurate and misleading, arguing that the group’s influence does not extend to all parts of the region. “Unquestionably, there is an IPOB issue, but it is overblown,” he stated.

Odinkalu’s remarks come amid heightened insecurity across South-East Nigeria, where armed attacks on police stations, public offices, and civilians have become frequent.

Security agencies have often linked such attacks to separatist groups, but Odinkalu insists that political sponsorship of armed cults has deepened the region’s instability.

The South-East region of Nigeria has faced persistent violence in recent years, marked by assassinations, abductions, and attacks on state facilities.

While many incidents have been attributed to IPOB and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), growing evidence suggests that political rivalries and criminal networks—particularly cult groups, are driving much of the chaos.

Analysts say some politicians arm these groups during elections and later lose control over them, worsening insecurity across Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia, and Ebonyi states.

Odinkalu’s warning adds to the growing calls for the Nigerian government and regional leaders to confront the political roots of the crisis rather than focusing solely on separatist agitation.