The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide has denied
reports that the Ijaws were behind the violent
attacks on communities in Lagos and Ogun States
by militants.
The group said those ascribing such criminalities to
Ijaws were doing so to cause ethnic war between
Ijaw and their Yoruba neighbours.
Ijaws were doing so to cause ethnic war between
Ijaw and their Yoruba neighbours.
The President, IYC, Mr Udengs Eradiri, at a press
conference in Yeagoa on Thursday asked the
security agencies to flush out the perpetrators of
Lagos violence and stop making public statements
that could create ethnic tension.
Eradiri said, “There are some groups in Lagos
engaged in criminal activities and those activities
are now threatening the brotherly relationship our
people have enjoyed in Lagos.
“First, Nigeria should stop ascribing anything that
happens in the Niger Delta to Ijaw people. For the
avoidance of doubt, Niger Delta Avengers are not
Ijaw people. I am tired of answering questions
about Niger Delta Avengers.
“I am the President of the Ijaw Youth Council. I am
not the President of NDA. NDA people are not Ijaw
people. We don’t know who Niger Delta Avengers
are. If the security agencies know Avengers, they
should arrest them. They should do their jobs.
“They should stop transferring their jobs to
community leaders or youth organisations or leaders
of ethnic nationalities. Their duty is to maintain law
and order, to gather intelligence and do whatever
they deem fit to ensure that there is peace in the
country.
“Please, stop ascribing negative things to Ijaw
people. We are the fourth largest ethnic nationalities
in Nigeria and I agree that we are the people who
refuse to eat sand and call it food. But that does
not mean that every little thing that happens in the
region will be ascribed to Ijaw people.”
Eradiri said attacks on Lagos communities had
assumed a worrisome dimension.
He noted that all the criminal activities in
communities hosting the Arepo Atlas Cove
pipelines in Lagos and Ogun States were being
perpetrated by thieves who were out to enrich
themselves.
The IYC boss said there were widespread economic
crimes along pipelines in the country, insisting that
the Lagos scenario involved people from all the
ethnic groups.
“So, Nigerians should stop ascribing it to Ijaw
people. Ijaw people are peace-loving people. For
over hundreds of years, our people have cohabited
with other ethnic nationalities. We have never been
known to be hostile people.
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