A coalition of Ijaw concerned groups in collaboration with the Ijaw Elders Forum, IEF, in Lagos State, on Saturday, condemned the recent military attack on Bilabiri community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, describing the destruction of lives and property of innocent citizens as barbaric and unnecessary.

In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Chief Bukazi Etete, Vice Chairman, Atamuno Atamuno, Secretary, Pastor Efiye Bribena, Mr Charles Ambaiowei, Former Acting President, Ijaw National Congress, Ben Amaebi Okoro, Moderator, Ijaw Nation Forum, High Chief Denzil Amagbe Kentebe, a Former Executive Secretary (NCDMB), Prof. Dauphin D. Moro, Convener, Niger Delta Environmental Vanguard, the Forum noted with dismay the incessant attacks on Ijaw communities under successive governments as well as environmental degradations they have had to grapple with as a result of oil exploration.

The statement reads in part: “Times without number, Ijaw communities have been unjustifiably attacked and destroyed by the Nigerian state that is expected to build and nurture them. The latest being Bilabiri community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Admittedly, criminal activities take place by a few individuals in Ijaw Land as in other parts of the country. This, however, should not and cannot justify the barbaric destruction of entire communities.

“We strongly condemn these acts of violence and brutality perpetuated against our people and communities. We cannot continue to endure this oppressive state of affairs and the continued destruction of our people and communities.

“The experience of the Ijaw People under the Nigerian state in the past 59 years has been most unpalatable and dehumanizing, to say the least. The Nigerian state continues to plunder our resources without consideration for our people and environment.”

Also expressing worries over the state of the nation, the group blamed the escalating security situation on the perceived lopsided of the security architecture of the country, insisting that only restructuring can guarantee continued peace and stability.

In view of the insecurity across the geo-political zones, the concerned elders threw their weight behind the South West security outfit codenamed Amoketun, urging stakeholders in the South-South to come up with a similar initiative.

“Some states and regional groups have established added security systems to mitigate the effect of insecurity within their domain. AMOTEKUN, the security outfit of the six western Nigerian states is justified. We call on all communities, State governments and the South-South zone to urgently take steps to secure lives and property within their domains by setting up similar security initiatives. The right to self-preservation is inalienable,” the statement added.

In a resolution reached at the end of their meeting, the collaborating groups jointly declared: “We shall also work to stem the continued destruction of our environment by oil and gas operations. We shall make it a priority to demand for immediate remediation of the already damaged environment.

We shall work with purposeful and sincere allies in Nigeria especially within the South-South zone to achieve the universal goals of freedom, liberty, justice, political and economic wellbeing.

Source:- Vanguardngr

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