Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Western Zone, comprising Ondo, Edo and Delta State staged a protest on the streets of Warri,Delta state against the federal government incessant arrests, intimidation and witch hunting of the Ijaws.
The Chairman of IYC, Western Zone, Comr. Freeborn Atigbi while addressing the media after the protest at NPA in Warri South Local Government Government Area of Delta State called on President Mohammadu Buhari to immediately release all allegedly arrested sons of Ijaws, describing their arrests as illegal and unlawful.He also called on the Ijaw Nation to defend itself by resisting any further alleged unlawful arrests, noting that the Ijaws have never been defeated by even the military government, stressing that it cannot be defeated by a Fulani led government.
He particularly tasked the federal government to live within the ambit of democracy, emphasising that the government should charge any suspects to court and not the incessant whisking away of Ijaw sons with their whereabouts unknown.
In his words: “We are not cowards, we have not been defeated by even the military government hence we cannot be defeated by a Fulani led government, Buhari is pushing us to the World, he should stop it henceforth hence we are going to resist any further arrests of our people by defending ourselves. ”
“The Ijaw Youth Council, Western Zone have gathered and we are on a peace match to send a very strong message to the Buhari led Federal government that we are sick and tired of the oppression meted out on the people of Niger Delta particularly the Ijaws.
“Since he took over the mantle of leadership it is as if the Niger Delta and her people are conquered people, we did not go into war with the Buhari led government, there was an election and our brother Dr. Goodluck Jonathan lost and peacefully he transited power to Buhari without any conflict of interest, since his exit from office, Buhari has been witch hunting the family of Goodluck Jonathan, his wife has been under constant attack by security agents particularly the EFCC, DSS, their homes at various times have been invaded by security agencies for various reasons Nigerians do not know, their accounts and family accounts have been frozen”.
“We believe we are operating democracy and democracy deals with the rule of law, if anyone has committed any crime against the state, such person or persons should be charged to court and the rules and regulations should be applied, our people should not be treated as cowards or slaves.
“Again our ex agitators and activists have also come under severe attacks by security agencies under Buhari’s watch with incessant arrests, they have not been charged to court and whereabouts still unknown, we don’t even know the crimes that they have committed to warrant such arrests and we felt this is unbecoming, notable examples includes Gen. Bonana-Owei Godday Smith, aka King of the Forest; Comr. Daniel Ezekiel; Gen. Aboy Muturu Ebimene Monday; Victor Ozubu; Endy; Tonne Miemene-Iye; Peremo, the names are too numerous to mention, this is democracy and the rule of law must be operational.”
