Concerned over the security challenges confronting the country, the Ijaw Elders’ Consultative Forum (IJF) has declared that it would support any community-based initiative that would guaranty peace in the Niger Delta region, pledging to work with the security agencies and other relevant stakeholders in the region to ensure the safety of its people.

  

In a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting held in Port Harcourt, yesterday, they condemned the militarisation of the Niger Delta, stressing the need for collaborative efforts to promote community-based initiative on the security.

   

“We discussed the state of security in the Niger Delta and reiterated the commitment of the Ijaw to work with other neighbours to protect our territories at the South-South regional level, using community and people-based initiative which had worked effectively in times past,” the group said. They also lamented the neglect of infrastructure in the Niger Delta, especially the East-West road, environmental degradation, attendant loss of means livelihood as well as inadequate representation of its people in the scheme of things in the country.

“The Ijaw also suffer disadvantage as it pertains to the existing fiscal regime and revenue allocation which is at total variance with the original allocation formula adopted by our founding fathers at the inception of Federal Government of Nigeria.  The hen that lays the proverbial golden eggs can no longer accept to be treated with such neglect,” they added.

While calling on the Federal Government to do a total overhaul of the existing structure of the country to ensure fairness and justice, the group decried the sudden removal of Director General, NAPTIP, Julie Donli-Okah, and Secretary of the ICPC, Elvis Oglafa, without any justifiable reason. Personalities who attended the meeting included HRH Alabo, Emeritus Prof. Dagogo Fubara, Prof. Sotonye Amakiri, Real Admiral W.G. Yanga, Chief Kalaiti Jephthah-Obadiah, Efiye Bribena Annkio Briggs among others.   

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