RENEWED HOSTILITY IN WARRI

By

FEDERATED NIGER DELTA IJAW COMMUNITIES (FNDIC)

Motto:  “WATER FOR FIRE”

NO. 1, PERE QUARTERS, OPOROZA TOWN,

GBARAMATU CLAN,

  

24th April, 2004

 

The Senate President,

National Assembly,

Abuja.

 

Sir,

 In the portion of the Warri River which ought to be right under effective control of members of the Joint Task Force [JTF] “Operation Restore Hope” at the Nigeria Naval Base, Warri and before our very eyes on Tuesday April 20,2004 at about 1700 hours, three [3] fast boats carrying heavily armed fighters ambushed and without challenge attacked a passenger boat  from Warri to Burutu, an Ijaw homogenous LGA in DELTA  STATE.

 

 On April 21, 2004 at least, five [5] corpses drifting along the Warri River were recovered and several wounded victims not less than 14 persons spotted in various clinics in Warri Township and environs. The invaders in military apparels did not remove any property from the boat nor from the victims to suggest PIRACY. As usual, the Itsekiri openly and lavishly thanked men of the JTF apparently for allowing their attacks against the Ijaw. JTF could not even afford to confirm the casualty list [for Pressmen].

 

 Similarly, in a report earlier sent to the Delta State Security Council in Warri as at June 24,2003, about fifteen [15] Ijaw passengers most of whom BURUTU bound from Ogbe Ijoh in Warri South West LGA, “were attacked [and killed] by a boat whose occupants were dressed in military fatigue”.

 

In March, 2004 along Warri River at the turn to Ode Itsekiri which is the ancestral headquarters of the Itsekiri kingdom, some killers at about 0200 hours ambushed and attacked a boat coming to Warri carrying some able bodied Ijaw youths who had to chase the attackers that retreated to Ode Itsekiri. On March 9,2004 men of the Joint Task Force [JTF] “Operation Restore Hope” attacked the Ijaw in Fenegbene and Awor area killing several tens and wounding scores of Ijaw persons. Not less than 40 buildings were reportedly torched.

 

From the above, at least, the Delta State government cannot rightly claim to have cleared the Itsekiri and their military accomplice of having carried out the cowardly April 20, 2004 attack against a passenger boat which destination was the Ijaw area of Burutu L.G.A. The Itsekiri and men of the joint Task Force (JTF) “Operation Restore Hope” are the suspect aggressors, the Ijaw must know as much as the US knows it must take only Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan to launch the September 11, 2001 terror attack against the US.

 

 That foreign Nationals were killed alongside America citizens in the terrorist attack on the US September 11, 2001 could not remove the obvious fact that terrorists from Afghanistan targeted their attacks on the US.  More so, that the Biblical King Herod of the Jews ordered the killing of all the children below two years did not obscure the immutable fact that King Herod just wanted to murder Jesus Christ, the Redeemer.  Whether or not non-Ijaw were killed in the cowardly April 20, attack, the Delta State Government’s Statement in defence of the Itsekiri cannot remove the obvious fact that the aggression was all aimed and targeted at the Ijaw and that the most likely attackers are the Itsekiri and their military accomplice.

 

 GOVERNMENT PARTISANSHIP

 It is most unfortunate the Delta State Government stated; “It was purely an operation carried out by sea pirates as some of the victims of the attack had been identified as indigenes from outside the state”. [Vanguard, April 23, 2004, page 7].   It is most partisan that the Government in each case refuses to identify the true identity of these obvious killers, whose armed aggression is permanently aimed and targeted at the Ijaw.  The State Government wrongfully perceives of the Ijaw killers as pirates to make them evasive.  This amounts to an insult on the sensibility of the Ijaw and psyche of humanity.

 

 The Ijaw and all well-meaning citizens of the World Community know too well from facts on ground that the attackers (terrorists) directing aggression against the Ijaw are the Itsekiri who are already placed on vantage position over the Ijaw by the appointment of a fighting Itsekiri Dr. Roland Oritsejafor as minister of Defence for State.

 

 KILLINGS OF CHEVRON OIL WORKERS IN THE ITSEKIRI AREA

 Whereas, the Itsekiri would hold the Ijaw accountable for any Itsekiri calamity, the Ijaw have not decided to equally hold the Itsekiri responsible for the aggression and harm suffered by the Ijaw.  In a subtle declaration of war against the Ijaw, the Itsekiri stated: “all Itsekiri in exile would begin a process of returning home [April 22, 2004]. First, we shall move into Benin River axis from Koko and straight to Ogheye and Orere…They would hold the Ijaws absolutely responsible for any harm any Itsekiri might suffer in the home coming process”. [Vanguard, April 22, 2004, page 7].

 

 In the alleged Itsekiri home returning process, on April 23, 2004 i.e. about 24 hours after the declaration of war by the Itsekiri while none of the Itsekiri traversing Ijaw area has suffered any harm from the Ijaw, reports are that in the Alero Chevron Oil Field area belonging to the Itsekiri, at least seven [7] Oil workers [2 Americans, 2 Navy Officers and 3 Nigerians including an Ijaw boat Driver], have been killed in cold blood in a manner that the Delta State Government would possibly wish away and describe as an act of Piracy. UNFORTUNATE.

 

 Since 20/04/04 and particularly since the commencement of the said Itsekiri home returning process, security men, Ijaw men, Ishan men, Urhobo men, Ibo men etc excepting Itsekiri persons, have been reportedly killed in the riverine area between the Warri River and Benin River. Be they sea pirates or assassins, the present raging killers in Warri and its environs are the Itsekiri. They are making Warri a super high-risk place.  Security men who allowed an Ijaw boat Driver to carry Oil workers to the Alero Oil Field have been killed along with the Ijaw and his foreign passengers, in the Itsekiri area. The killing of Americans at Alero could only be a bye product of the Itsekiri home returning programme. To be able to kill the singular Ijaw boat Driver like the Biblical king Herod of the Jews, the desperate Itsekiri could not afford to spare the lives of the innocent AMERICANS and the Naval men.

 

 The emerging scenario is as follows: Security men who fail to kill any protesting Ijaw on sight and/or would allow an Ijaw stray into Itsekiri stronghold [area] risk immediate dismissal from the Security Services under Dr. Roland Oritsejafor or face summary execution in the Itsekiri land.

 1.                  Would the Nigerian Military intelligence claim ignorance of the fact that prior to the 23rd dastardly attack, that the Itsekiri warned the resumption or continuation of oil exploring or servicing activities in their lands except they are first of all resettled?

2.                  Would the Nigerian Military intelligence claim ignorance of who was responsible for the said attack when there are military survivors of the attack?

 3.                  Would the Nigerian Military intelligence and the Delta State Government claim ignorance of the fact that less than 24 hrs to the time of the attack, over 20 armed Itsekiri militant speedboats left Koko and its environs to allegedly occupy their towns and villages?

 4.                  Thank God there is said to be an America survivor, said to be in coma, we know in the fullness of his resuscitation, he would not for silver and gold claim ignorance of the fact that the Itsekiri militias perpetrated the dastardly crime wherein our Ijaw speed-boat driver also lost his life.

 

 ROAD MAP TO PEACE

FNDIC and the Ijaw of Warri believe in the Governor James Onanefe Ibori Road Map to Peace. Since the inception of this peace initiative, the Ijaw of Warri and FNDIC have continued to maintain the peace.

 FNDIC is a signatory to a Voluntary Peace Agreement brokered on 15/04/04 in VISA KARINA HOTEL PORT HARCOURT by the International Foundation for Education and SELF HELP [IFESH] between the Itsekiri and the Ijaw of Warri who agreed to use collaboration to actualize among other things the Right to vote and be voted for, for all eligible voters be they Itsekiri or Ijaw equally, and resettle all internally displaced persons in the three Warri LGAs.

 

 DISSOCIATING FNDIC AND THE IJAW OF WARRI FROM THE BRUTAL KILLING OF TWO AMERICANS AND FIVE OTHERS IN ITSEKIRI AREA.

 Neither reneging nor withdrawing her signature from the great Voluntary Peace Agreement, FNDIC irrevocably remains committed to Peace in Warri and the World all over. The Ijaw refused to be tempted to renege the most wonderful Peace Agreement ever in Warri even as the Itsekiri Road Map to Resettlement ran foul of terms of the great Peace Agreement including COLLABORATION AND MUTUAL ENDEAVOURS.

 

 At this juncture, let it be declared and it is hereby and now declared unequivocally that FNDIC and the Ijaw, in their legitimate struggle for Democracy proper, have no business participating in the gruesome act of killing the two Americans, two Navy Officers and three Nigerians including an Ijaw boat Driver between Alero and Dibi Chevron Oil Flow stations on April 23,2004

 

CONDOLENCE MESSAGE

FNDIC and the Ijaw of Warri condole with President GEORGE W. BUSH and the great peoples of the US for the irreparable loss of the two US nationals at the Alero Chevron Oil field. We also condole President OLUSEGUN OBASANJO and the well-meaning Nigerians for the shocking death of the five [5] Nigerians at the unfortunate Alero episode. May God Almighty grant these great Presidents and their bereaved citizens the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. Amen. FNDIC and the Ijaw of Warri condemn this dastardly act of killing in its entirety.

Thank you and GOD BLESS.

 Yours faithfully, 

KINGSLEY OTUARO (ESQ)

Secretary General

 

 DANIEL EKPEBIDE (COMRADE)  

Chief Adviser

HON. CHIEF (DR.) BELLO OBOKO

PRESIDENT