The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide has denied reports that the Ijaws were behind the violent attacks on communities in Lagos and Ogun States by militants.

The group said those ascribing such criminalities to Ijaws were doing so to cause ethnic war between Ijaw and their Yoruba neighbours.

The President, IYC, Mr Udengs Eradiri, at a press conference in Yeagoa on Thursday asked the security agencies to flush out the perpetrators of Lagos violence and stop making public statements that could create ethnic tension.

Eradiri said, “There are some groups in Lagos engaged in criminal activities and those activities are now threatening the brotherly relationship our people have enjoyed in Lagos.

“First, Nigeria should stop ascribing anything that happens in the Niger Delta to Ijaw people. For the avoidance of doubt, Niger Delta Avengers are not Ijaw people. I am tired of answering questions about Niger Delta Avengers.

“I am the President of the Ijaw Youth Council. I am not the President of NDA. NDA people are not Ijaw people. We don’t know who Niger Delta Avengers are. If the security agencies know Avengers, they should arrest them. They should do their jobs.

“They should stop transferring their jobs to community leaders or youth organisations or leaders of ethnic nationalities. Their duty is to maintain law and order, to gather intelligence and do whatever they deem fit to ensure that there is peace in the country.

“Please, stop ascribing negative things to Ijaw people. We are the fourth largest ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and I agree that we are the people who refuse to eat sand and call it food. But that does not mean that every little thing that happens in the region will be ascribed to Ijaw people.”

Eradiri said attacks on Lagos communities had assumed a worrisome dimension.

He noted that all the criminal activities in communities hosting the Arepo Atlas Cove pipelines in Lagos and Ogun States were being perpetrated by thieves who were out to enrich themselves.

The IYC boss said there were widespread economic crimes along pipelines in the country, insisting that the Lagos scenario involved people from all the ethnic groups.

“So, Nigerians should stop ascribing it to Ijaw people. Ijaw people are peace-loving people. For over hundreds of years, our people have cohabited with other ethnic nationalities. We have never been known to be hostile people.

“First, Nigeria should stop ascribing anything that happens in the Niger Delta to Ijaw people. For the avoidance of doubt, Niger Delta Avengers are not Ijaw people. I am tired of answering questions about Niger Delta Avengers.

“I am the President of the Ijaw Youth Council. I am not the President of NDA. NDA people are not Ijaw people. We don’t know who Niger Delta Avengers are. If the security agencies know Avengers, they should arrest them. They should do their jobs.

baby124:
Are they not militants and Ijaws? When you groom a monster it will come outside one day and disgrace you. You think Yoruba's will say they are Ijaw without confirming that they are? We don't make emotional outbursts.

“I am the President of the Ijaw Youth Council. I am not the President of NDA. NDA people are not Ijaw people. We don’t know who Niger Delta Avengers are. If the security agencies know Avengers, they should arrest them. They should do their jobs.

TonyeBarcanista:

And who told you they are ijaws? Did you carry our DNA on them or do they write Ijaw on people's foreheads?

cktheluckyman:

help me tell the useless Burutai and his fellow useless officers to do their jobs and stop pointing fingers

baby124:

So you think the indigenes, OPC and residents do not have contact with them to know where they come from? Where did they get such ammunition? If not from militant activities. Tell your stories to the birds, they are Ijaws.

TonyeBarcanista:
I have always kept mute waiting for the response of IYC over the baseless allegations and accusations by some people and group ascribing the criminality of some idiots in Ogun and Lagos states as that perpetrated by "Ijaws".

For the record, it is unfair to even assume that Ijaws will be interested in crises on Yoruba soil. We are a peaceloving and law-abiding group.

It is incumbent on the Police and other agencies to fish out perpetrators of those heinous crimes irrespective of their ethnic affiliations, and deal decisively with them.

As for NDA, as long as Ijaw nation is concerned, they are on their own.

Izonpikin:
i don shout tire about the lagos wahala..i have asked they provide videos of the miscreants and lets know if they are ijaws...

TonyeBarcanista:

Whic ammunitions?? Are Ijaw people manufacturers of ammunition or sole distributors? Did the indigene carry out DNA test? What concerns militants with Ogun state or Lagos state?

Simply put, those guys terrorising your people are CRIMINALS. They are NOT Ijaw people and do NOT represent Ijaw nation

TonyeBarcanista:

And who told you they are ijaws? Did you carry out DNA on them or do they write Ijaw on people's foreheads? Treat criminals like criminals.

Izon means truth, we can NEVER shield criminality

baby124:

They are Ijaw people. Using the creeks to carry out their activities. It's not today it started. You can't just write an article and it will disclaim what is true and evident. Do you need DNA test in Nigeria to ask people where they are from. It is the fruit of militant activities.

Militants terrorizing another man's land to fund their militant activities. We are not stupid we see through you people. We are not a small group like Itshekiri you can mess with.

We left it to the military so you people wouldn't cry genocide. But we know who those people are and they are Ijaws.

TonyeBarcanista:

As for Buratai, I don't blame him. I blame those idiots NDA that engaged in economic terrorism thereby inviting the unprofessional Nigeria Army on our soul to inflict pains on innocent Ijaw people.

I denounce ANY Ijawman that is part of NDA

Ofemmanu1:

So, they're boko-boys/ipod with flying boats abi?
Why not check on Konga if they have a life for sale?!

TonyeBarcanista:

And who told you they are ijaws? Did you carry out DNA on them or do they write Ijaw on people's foreheads? Treat criminals like criminals.

Izon means truth, we can NEVER shield criminality

OPCNAIRALAND:
While it lasted it was a pride of the IYC that their ethnic group has successfuly exported its militancy to terrorize Yorubaland, the ethnic instrumental to loss of their clueless son from power. When event turned and we came down with the whip IYC has the mind to distance itself from an object of the erstwhile pride.

So they need to tell us who these militants are.

IYC, are these militants Ibos?

TonyeBarcanista:
So you mean flying boats are the exclusive of Ijaw people? Sounds cool right?

Ofemmanu1:

No, the boats and the amphibian boys in ijaw enclaves around Lagos and Ogun are for fulani heardsmen and boko boys.
Oponu ayirada.

So you mean flying boats are the exclusive of Ijaw people? Sounds cool right?

TonyeBarcanista:

As for Buratai, I don't blame him. I blame those idiots NDA that engaged in economic terrorism thereby inviting the unprofessional Nigeria Army on our soul to inflict pains on innocent Ijaw people.

I denounce ANY Ijawman that is part of NDA