Ayiri is provoking Ijaw people to war- IYC … As Ijaw/Itsekiri war looms

BY ONITSHA SHEDRACK, DELTA—-

There is looming ethnic crisis brewing between the Ijaws and their Itsekiri neighbors’ in Delta State, unless urgent steps are taken to stem the growing tension following what the leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, described as meddlesomeness of Chief Ayiri Emami in the internal affairs of the Ijaws.

The group in a press statement  signed by its spokesman Comrade Eric Omare, made available to newsmen urges Chief Ayiri Emami, an Itsekiri to desist from interfering and sponsoring division within the parent Ijaw youth organization, the IYC.

They stated further that they were inundated by calls from journalist on Saturday, the 28^th of May, 2016, to a purported publication signed by the some members of the executive council of the IYC to the effect that the President Comrade Udengs Eradiri and Spokesman (Eric Omare) have been suspended and that they were under pressure from strange quarters to publish the purported suspension.

They added that, despite the clarification to the effect that the purported suspension is of no effect, the President and Spokesman of IYC keep receiving calls from journalists in Warri, Yenagoa and Lagos on this issue.

The statement also alleged that, “Chief Ayiri was mentioned as the one who sent the purported suspension letter to journalists to publish.”

According to the group, the President of IYC,  on Wednesday, June 1^st, 2016 at about 10.30am allegedly confronted Chief Ayiri Emami on phone and he is alleged to have said that:

“He is sponsoring the purported suspension because of the call by the IYC President and Spokesman for the immediate takeoff of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko as a condition to for the Niger Delta people to negotiate with the federal government.”

And that, “the President and Spokesman of IYC are supporting the Niger Delta Avengers.”

The group therefore cautions Ayiri stay clear from Ijaw internal affairs. “The IYC and Ijaw nation do not need the permission of Ayiri Emami or whosoever to take position in defence of the Ijaw and Niger Delta interest.

“It is highly provocative for Ayiri, an Itsekiri and Ilaje man to decide who lead Ijaw youths and what position the IYC or any Ijaw organization should take. It is an aberration to imagine that a person of Ayiri’s standing wants to decide the direction of Ijaw people and even have the audacity to take steps to sponsor purposeless Ijaw youths to cause division within the IYC.

“We wish to in clear and unequivocal terms warn Ayiri Emami to stay clear from Ijaw affairs. The Ijaw people are not interfering in the internal affairs of the Itsekiri people; hence an Itsekiri man should also not interfere in Ijaw affairs.

“The IYC take special note of the role Ayiri Emami has been playing in the ongoing military attacks on Gbaramatu communities and some other Ijaw communities. Ayiri Emami is provoking Ijaw people to war with him and by extension his people and the world must take note of these acts of provocation. Let no body blame Ijaw people as the aggressors as we are been pushed to the wall by Ayiri’s provocative actions.

The statement stated further, “to the members of the IYC national executive council that are moles in the Ijaw nation and been sponsored by Ayiri and his cohorts to cause division in the IYC, the Ijaw people would surely take appropriate disciplinary actions against them and treat them as betrayers.

“We want to also make it clear that the President and Spokesman of IYC have nothing to do with the Niger Delta Avengers. But the IYC insist that the federal government should take immediate steps for the Maritime University, Okerenkoko to start academic activities. This we behave would help in restoring the confidence of the people of the Niger Delta region in the Buhari administration.