The umbrella body of
Niger Delta youth group Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide has frowned at
continued linkage of the Ijaw ethnic nationality to criminal activities taking
place in Ikorodu, Lagos State and some communities in Ogun State which it has
described as a deliberate ploy by some highly placed persons to paint the Ijaw
ethnic nationality in bad light so as to justify the evil they are planning
against the Ijaw people.
According to Eric
Omare, IYC spokesman, the idea is to make Ijaw people look like enemies in the
eyes of all their neighbors in the southern part of the country.
"The latest of
this orchestrated plan is the accusation of Ijaw militants for carrying out the
Sunday, July 24, 2016, kidnap of a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of
God, Mr. Bajomo,at Santos Bus Stop Ikorodu, Lagos State by unknown gunmen.
"According to
the news by Punch Newspaper and other newspapers that after the kidnappers had
left, it was discovered that they were Ijaw militants. The questions that
readily come to mind are: how did they know that they were Ijaw militants? Was
anybody arrested? Who among the kidnappers confessed that they are Ijaw militants?
Did the kidnappers identify themselves as Ijaw militants while carrying out
their criminal activity? These and other questions beg for answer.
"We reinstate
our call for criminals to be treated as criminals without any ethnic
coloration. What is happening in parts of Lagos and Ogun States are cases of
criminality and they should be treated as such without bringing in the Ijaw
ethnic nationality into it. Those referring to them as Ijaw militants are
deliberately laying a foundation for an inter-ethnic clash between Ijaw people
and their neighbors in southern Nigeria. The IYC strongly call on the media to
guide against being used to set the stage for unnecessary inter-ethnic clash
between the Ijaws and their neighbors. Media practitioners must display the highest
level of professionalism in the discharge of their duties," the group said
in its statement.
The Ijaw ethnic
nationality condemns criminality in the strongest terms and calls on security
agencies to bring to justice the perpetrators of the criminal activities in
Ikorodu and parts of Ogun State. saharareporters
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