LAGOS JULY 18TH (URHOBOTODAY)- Itsekiri communities affected in the July 2, 2013 unprovoked attack and arson by a band of Ijaw youths in Delta State, have given the Federal, Delta State and Warri North Local Governments a 30-day ultimatum to fish out the criminals or they would carry out reprisal on Ijaw suburbs in the area.
The seven Olero satellite communities at an emergency meeting in Sapele to deliberate on the mayhem unleashed on them by an Ijaw militia, Egbema Radical Group, ERG, further threatened to blow up oil installations in Niger Delta region, including the Chevron Nigeria Limited manifold in Olero creek if their ultimatum was not heeded.
They said that the killing no fewer than 12 Itsekiri and burning of seven communities should not be taken as a trivial matter.
The communities also requested the council, state and Federal Governments to take steps to rehabilitate displaced persons in the affected villages and rebuild their burnt houses without further delay, if government wants peace in the region.
Representatives of the affected villages: Mr. Orighomisan Omatsuli (Jakpa Community); Mr. Augustine Dorsu, Aja-Amitan community; Mr. Tony Oweghoro, Ebrohimi community; Mr. Taye Olekowe, Gbokoda community; Mr. Godfrey Ofeyinor, Tebu community; Mr. Augustine Fuludu Obaghoro community; Mr. David Akpere, Udo community and chairman, Olero satellite communities, Mr. Victor Awowo told Vanguard that they were ready for a showdown with the Ijaw militants.
They added that relief materials should be sent by the different tiers of government to the displaced people without further delay.
The communities accused Joint military Task Force, JTF, Operation Pulo shield of being insensitive, callous and negligent to the plight of Itsekiri people, who were killed during the crisis and insisted that the JTF men stationed in Olero creek and Chevron manifold facility, could have averted the carnage, if they wanted.
The people also condemned the attitude of the soldiers on duty around the Ajide Lagos Junction, where JTF has a house boat and two gun boats, saying “these soldiers would have averted the killing of five people in Eghoro community, which is just about 40 yards away from where the soldiers‘ two gun boats were stationed.
“It is the usual attitude of the soldiers to resume duty at the Olero creek Chevron manifold as well as the Lagos Ajide Junction every 5pm and close by 6am the following day, but on the day of the killings, the soldiers resumed much later and closed much earlier, thus not having the opportunity to avert the mayhem.
“We have no other option than to take laws into our hands with actions of several and mightier consequences on oil installations that will attract attention of the three tiers of government if our demands are not met.”
Source: Vanguard