Prominent civil society and human rights organisations in Nigeria have issued a joint statement decrying what they describe as ongoing genocide in Gaza, warning of deliberate starvation tactics and urging urgent international intervention.
These groups have accused Israeli policy of systematically denying civilians critical access to food, water and medical supplies, factors now being identified by the United Nations and humanitarian agencies as leading to mass hunger and death. Reports confirm that over 59,000 Palestinians have died since October 2023, with a large proportion being women and children, while acute malnutrition has surged across the enclave
They call on Nigeria’s leadership and global partners, including the UN and the US, to pressure Israel into halting what they term genocide and to immediately open all borders for unfettered humanitarian aid delivery. The US, in particular, is labelled complicit, they argue Washington’s continued political and military support enables Israeli blockade measures that hamper relief efforts
Drawing painful historical parallels, Nigerian advocates likened the suffering unfolding in Gaza to the infamous famines in Biafra and Ethiopia. The UN’s food security authority, Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), has confirmed that Gaza is experiencing a “worst‑case famine scenario,” with food deprivation and malnutrition now pervasive across the population
Human rights solicitor Chief Malcolm Omirhobo has urged the Senate to pass a strong resolution condemning Israel’s actions, characterising them as ethnic cleansing that meet the criteria of genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention. He cited over 127,000 injuries, mass displacement of nearly 2 million Palestinians, destruction of homes and hospitals, and deadly restrictions on aid as evidence requiring immediate parliamentary action
In Lagos, the Muslim Congress (TMC) led by Amir AbdulWasi’i Bangbala, during a peaceful demonstration, condemned the relentless bombardment and blockade of Gaza, describing it as extermination of an entire people. TMC reports the death toll exceeding 59,100, with children and women as the bulk of the victims, and demanded a permanent ceasefire and restoration of humanitarian corridors
These Nigerian-based civil society voices emphasised that moral responsibility extends beyond politics or faith, they insist the crisis is a human issue demanding global action. They call on Nigeria to leverage its leadership role in Africa, alongside international allies, to demand accountability and relief for the Palestinian people.
