Group puts Ijaw communities on red alert over influx of herdsmen

The umbrella body of the Ijaw Youths worldwide, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), has warned indigenes of the Ijaw communities to be on red alert and avoid a repeat of the violent killings in Owo in Ondo state following suspected influx of suspected herdsmen in some riverine communities.

IYC national spokesman, Mr Ebilade Ekerefe, who stated this in Yenagoa, disclosed that intelligence report available to the council revealed that the movement of strange men, under the guise of herdsmen and non-indigenes, was making people in riverine communities in the region uncomfortable.

Ekerefe said the movement to Ijaw communities may have arisen because of the resistance from other parts of the country.

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“We want to call on Ijaw youths to be on red alert and not allow a repeat of the gory killing in Owo, Ondo state. We have observed some strange movements and we are not comfortable. We are also calling on security agencies to be on red alert and protect the lives of the people. We also call on non-indigenes residing in Ijaw communities to be vigilant and not allow unlawful individuals to infiltrate their midst to perpetuate evil in Ijaw Land,” he said.

While condemning the recent killings in Owo in Ondo state, he called on President Muhammadu Buhari and service chiefs to rejig the security architecture of the country, describing the poor handling of rising killings and insecurity in the country as shameful and pathetic, despite series of meetings held between the president and security chiefs.

On the 2023, presidential election, he called on the standard bearers of the various political parties to take note that the Ijaw nation, which form the fourth largest ethnic nationality in the country, will only support a political party and its candidate with sincere focus on true federalism, restructuring, review of revenue sharing formula and others.

Ekerefe also urged political parties and their standard flag bearers to have special consideration for a youth for the position of vice president.

He listed those to be considered to include Dr. Ibrahim Bello Dauda from Borno State (APC). Chief Igho Charles Sanomi, a business Mogul from Agbor, Delta state, and Mr. Hebert Wigwe, a CEO of one of Nigeria’s leading banks from Rivers State.