Military decimating unarmed, defenseless Ijaw people – IYC claims

The leadership of the umbrella body of Ijaw Youths in the Niger Delta region, Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC) Worldwide, has raised alarm over what they described as the Nigeria Military’s invasion and genocide against Ijaw communities under the guise of hunting for Oil Thieves in the region.

The group, accused military in the region of the wanton murderous destruction of communities, killings and maiming of innocent and harmless children, men and women, including the elderly, under the pretense of going after unrepentant militants and oil thieves.

Speaking in a Press conference over the weekend at Ijaw House Yenagoa, the National Spokesman of the umbrella body of Ijaw Youths worldwide, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, said the Military dance, which they had tagged “the Python dance” at a point, is visiting heinous genocide and decimation on unarmed, defenseless and hapless Ijaw communities.

He said “This killings, maiming and burning down of communities by the Nigerian military at the slightest provocation of criminal elements is considered a threat to the peace and stability the region has enjoyed in recent years”

We want to place it on record that Nigeria’s colonizing Joint Task Force (JTF) has, in the past fifteen years, decimated our defenseless populations in more than Eighty (80) Ijaw villages, towns and cities.

These communities that have fallen victims in the past include Gbaramatu in Delta State, Odi, Odioma, Gbaran, Ogboinbiri, Kaiama, Ndoro, Liama, Okpoama, Obioku, Yenagoa, Amarata, Ekeki, Opolo, Agudama, Epebu, Oluasiri, Okolobiri, Mbiama, Azuzuama, Ologoama Oboro, Ogodobiri, Peretorugbene, Warri Corner, Okerenkoko, Torugbene, Ogulagha, Odimodi, Okigbene, Olugbobiri, Olugboboro, Ikebiri, Nembe Town, Ferebaghagbene, Okokodiagbene, Oproza, Ogbe-Ijo, Burutu, Ekeremor Zion, Sagbama, Aven, Patani, Amabulu, Peremabiri, Obuama, Agge, FishTown, Koluama, Okrika, Bonny, Ataba, Omelema, Degema, Kula, Soku Elem-Sangama, Opobo, Abula, Amadi-ama, Buguma and most recently, Letugbene, Azagbene, Bilabiri, Igbomotoru Bille, Touma and Odouda.

These are just some of the Ijaw communities that the Nigerian State has razed in recent history for unjustifiable reasons. The relentless genocidal military campaign against our people will continue to remain a dark shadow in our heart.

While emphasizing that Touma community and Bille main town in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State have been decimated by the Nigerian Military, he said “In September, 2022, blood thirsty Nigerian Military embarked on a two days sacking of these communities over the excuse of recovery of stolen fire arms from two Military personnel killed the same day pirates attacked a passenger boat and killed an Indigene of Bille. The men of the 29 battalion carried out these heinous crime.

Also in September, Armed Military men invaded Okobe community in Ahoada West Local Government area of Rivers State and killed three and arrested 10 persons under the allege existence of a fuel dump in the area. It was however, discovered to be false later. And who now pay for the lives of those killed?

In the same September, the military has bombarded the Udouda community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, killing yet-to-be-disclosed persons as several others sustained various degrees of bullet injuries. Several houses in the community were also bombed to rubbles.

The excuse? Military air-raided the community over alleged bunkering activities in the area. Residents of the community fled to the nearby forest for safety and since had not returned. The attack was carried out by both land and air forces with several gunboats and a fighter jets deployed in the brutal attack and survivors who scampered for safety have not returned to the community.

The group therefore called on the Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the bank accounts of Generals posted to the Niger delta region and the complicity of their men in the heinous crime of illegal bunkering and theft, noting that they cannot be part of the crime and kill the innocent people for crimes they know nothing about.

They also said “That the Niger delta region is peaceful. Therefore, the Nigerian government, by Security Council Resolution, should immediately withdraw all its military troops, submarines, gunboats and weaponry deployed to the region to the northern part of the country where it’s needed the most to curtail the level of insecurity.

That the military deployed to the Niger delta region should play by the rules of engagements as inshrined in the United Nations charter rather than burning down communities, killing and maiming innocent communal settlers for crimes they know nothing about.

That NNPC should publish the list of crude oil pipeline surveillance contractors and their scope of operations in the National Dailies for the understating of stakeholders and accountability.

We urged the Federal Government to consider the legalization of Artisan Refinery operations in the Niger Delta region which will permanently address oil theft and environmental degradation.

Tife Owolabi
Journalist
Niger Delta
@tifeowolabi