Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle to condemn the threats made by Kingsley Ugiagbe, a Nigerian based in Austria, who allegedly called for the poisoning of Igbo individuals and made threats to unalive their Igbo children.
Obi expressed strong disapproval of these remarks and emphasized that tribal and religious divisions must not be allowed to grow among Nigerians.
The threats made by Kingsley Ugiagbe reportedly prompted a reaction from Amaka Sunnberger, a Nigerian woman living in Canada, who called for retaliatory actions, including poisoning Yoruba and Benin individuals in Canada. Obi condemned both sets of comments, stating that such divisive and hateful behaviors have no place among Nigerians.
He called for unity and urged Nigerians to focus on addressing the country’s pressing challenges, such as insecurity, high living costs, and leadership failures, instead of allowing tribal and religious animosity to divide them further.
NN News Media had reported that the controversy began with an audio clip featuring Kingsley Ugiagbe, a Nigerian based in Austria, who allegedly made inflammatory remarks against Igbo individuals, including threats of violence. While Nigerian authorities did not highlight these initial threats, they focused instead on the subsequent reaction from Sunnberger, who called for the poisoning of Yoruba and Benin people in Canada.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), brought Sunnberger’s threats to the attention of Canadian authorities but did not mention the preceding remarks against the Igbo community. This perceived selective justice has sparked criticism, particularly as the Edo community in Austria has suspended Kingsley Ugiagbe, while Dabiri-Erewa has yet to make a statement regarding the threats against the Igbo.
