Youths of Ijaw descent worldwide on Sunday
rebutted insinuations that last week’s attacks by
armed gangs on communities in Lagos and Ogun
states were carried out by Ijaw people.
While condemning the wanton killings, the youths
under the umbrella of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)
Worldwide called on the Federal Government to
treat those involved in the act as criminals.
Spokesman of the IYC, Mr Eric Omare, said that
indications that the organised bloody attacks
were overseen by the people of Ijaw land, were
not only false, but mischievous.
Two Lagos communities, Elepete and Muti, both
in Igbo-Olomu, and Ita-Oluwo, Ifo local
government area of Ogun state had come under
heavy attacks, leaving at least 20 persons dead.
Reports ascribed the killings to suspected
militants ‘who are mostly Ijaws’, who were said to
have invaded the communities about 4am
through the creeks using sophisticated weapons.
But while absolving their kinsmen of being
responsible for the murders, the IYC noted in a
statement issued by Omare that the ‘sensational’
headlines were capable of stoking ethnic tensions.
”The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, worldwide,
disassociates Ijaw people and groups from the
incessant attacks and killing of innocent Nigerians
in Lagos and Ogun States by criminal elements.
”The reported attacks and killings are purely
criminal and the IYC in strong terms condemns
such criminal conducts irrespective of who is
involved.
”However, we state clearly that the persons
carrying out these criminal attacks are not Ijaw
people and it is absolutely wrong to refer to them
as Ijaw militants.
”The sensational headlines and impression being
created is that it is Ijaw people or groups that are
carrying out organized attacks and killing of
people in some Lagos and Ogun communities.”
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