WARRI—HUNDREDS of Ijaw natives from Delta, Edo, Ondo and
Bayelsa states residing in Aladja and other Urhobo communities in Udu Local
Government Area,
Delta State, have started relocating from the localities, as
anxiety mounts over the 14-day quit ultimatum given to them by Urhobo Progress
Union, UPU, Youth Wing, Udu chapter, over alleged kidnap of some Urhobo people.
Vanguard reported that despite the peace efforts by the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, UPU, youth wing,
and other groups, Ijaw residents in Udu communities have felt unsafe since
November 17 when the ultimatum was issued and started packing their belongings
in the last two days to avoid possible reprisal.
Though the president of
Federated Youth of Isaba Kingdom, Ogugu Moses, denied that his people were the
aggressors, he said in a statement: “On November 1, 2016, we, the people of
Isaba Kingdom, released one female and six males of Aladja alive to Nigerian Navy,
Army and Chairman, Delta State Waterways and Land Security Committee, Chief
Boro Opudu.”
He claimed that Aladja people attacked and burnt Ayama and Pamie,
two Isaba communities, on November 10, 11 and 12, and the seven persons
released by Isaba people to government security agencies were strangers found
in their territory during the offensive.
However, Urhobo youth leaders
insisted, on Tuesday, that the whereabouts of four natives taken hostage by
Isaba people were unknown and demanded their release before they would attend
any peace meeting with their Ijaw counterparts.
They claimed that
Ijaw youths were the ones that occupied Ayama and Epama, two Urhobo settlements,
because some alleged Ijaw oil thieves were prevented from using Ayama as a bunkering route. IYC
Chairman, Ogulagha Kingdom, Burutu area, Mr Doubra Okotete, who commented on
the development, said: “There is serious tension in Udu right now as Ijaw people
are leaving Udu Kingdom because of the inability of the state government to
handle the dispute promptly.”
He also wondered why the President-General of
UPU, Chief Joe Omene, should support the ultimatum by UPU, Udu Youth Wing,
saying: “It is like pouring fuel into fire instead of fighting to quench the
fire. There is serious tension all over.
People have started packing out of
their homes and relocating to other areas.
Some youths have been breaking into
people’s houses and doing away with their property and so many crimes are being
committed by Udu youths, having created the atmosphere for crime to take place.
“Governor Ifeanyi Okowa should sit up, as a matter of urgency, and prevail on
Udu Kingdom and the Urhobo generally to put a stop to the current situation before it develops into
an ethnic crisis.”
Meanwhile, Izon Council of Elders in Delta State has expressed worry over the growing tension
generated by the two weeks ultimatum by Urhobo youths of Udu Local Government
Area, asking Ijaws resident in the locality to relocate or face reprisal
attacks. The Ijaw elders, also known as Izon Okosu-Otu, in a statement by its
Chairman, Chief Bare Etolor, expressed the concern following separate
affirmation of the Udu youths’ ultimatum by Chief Joe Omene, President-General
of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, and Union of Udu Communities led by Chief Steve
Sokoh. Chief Omene said: “The declaration of war on Udu villages by Isaba was a
war against the entire Urhobo nation.”
On their part, Udu leaders, in a statement
by Chief Sokoh, said they stood by their youths on the self-help quit notice to
Ijaws which could implode into an ethnic war if not resolved before the
ultimatum expires, end of November.. In a related development, founding
National Secretary, INC, Pastor Power
Aginighan, has appealed to Urhobo and Ijaw in Aladja, Udu Local Government Area
and Ogbe Ijoh communities in Warri South West Local Government Area in Delta
State, to evolve a peaceful approach towards resolving whatever differences
that gave rise to the recent hostilities between the two ethnic groups.
Aginighan, in a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, enjoined elders of the
ethnic groups to intervene with a view to finding enduring peace, stressing
that the two ethnic groups had lived
peacefully over the years.
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