THE OUTBREAK OF HOSTILITIES BETWEEN THE WARRI IJAWS AND THE ITSEKIRIS/FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

By

Ijaw National Congress

The INC and the Ijaw Elders and leaders of thought met to review the current hostilities between the Ijaws and the combined invading force of the Itsekiris and the Federal Government in the Escravos and Benin River (Egbema) axis of Delta/Edo States.

The INC is greatly disturbed by the open support of the Itsekiris by the Federal Army in the ongoing invasion of the Ijaw Communities rather than bringing the two warring groups to a round table conference to restore peace. This is a dangerous development. The President has in effect privatized the Nigerian Army in the discriminatory protection of his kith and kin against the Ijaws.

Indeed, the combined invasion of the Ijaw communities is not surprising since Mr. President has remained steadfast in his determination to teach the Ijaws, he so hates, the "final lesson", the evil decimation of Odi, notwithstanding.

To complete his legacy of indelible lesson for the Ijaws, the President’s unholy ambition is further strengthened by the Yorubas, his kith and kin through the pronouncements of their mouthpiece-the Afenifere. (a major actor in one of the front line Ethnic Political Parties). The Afenifere on Page 7 of the This Day, the Sunday Newspaper, of the 23 rd March, 2003 threatened in a noisy statement credited to the group’s National Administrative Secretary, to also teach the Ijaws the lesson of their lives on behalf of their Itsekiri kiths and kins.

The INC wishes to remind the Afenifere that cowardice is not in the character of the Ijaws nor are we as a people, amused by the gaseous threats. The Ijaws have never been conquered in history not even by the sophisticated invading forces of the colonial powers. We are aware that the Afenifere’s noisy threats:

can only make any meaning in the context of the Federal Army led invasion ordered by the C-In-C of the Federal Armed Forces who is interestingly also of the "Yoruba Nation"

The INC wishes to advise the Afenifere to act maturely in the current outbreak of hostilities by supporting or initiating actions that could quickly return normalcy to the Warri area that has seen so much wanton destruction of innocent lives and property in recent years.

The Ijaws have no territorial ambition but we will NEVER allow any Group to displace us from our land.

In conclusion, the INC calls on our Youths to stop all hostilities forthwith to give peace a chance while we explore effective ways of addressing the fundamental issue of voter registration imbalance deliberately skewed against the majority Ijaws in the Warri South West Local Government Area.

A. INIWORIKABO