President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged by Ijaw-elders to only go after militants behind the recent attacks within the Niger-Delta.

Ijaw elders urge Buhari to take on militants
who are attacking the Niger-Delta
The elders on Friday, January 22 told
President Buhari,to clamp down on vandals
on destroying major oil and gas pipelines in
the Niger Delta region.
At a crucial meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa
state capital, to review the state of the
nation with particular attention to the rising
attacks on oil and gas installations, the elders
appealed to Buhari to prevent security
operatives from destroying innocent
communities under the guise of fishing out
pipeline vandals.
Some of the Ijaw elders present at the
meeting were HRM Joshua Igbagara,
Ibenanaowei of Oyiakiri clan; HRM Jonathan
Kubor, Ibenanaowei of Bassan clan and HRH
King Richard Seibarugu, Ibedaowei of
Okordia kingdom.
Also present at the meeting were Chief A.M.
Aduba, Deputy chairman, Rev. (Mrs.) Jane
Alek, Amba Ambaowei, Dr Hellen Opigo,
Austin Lugbenwei and Chief Dennis
Daunemugha, among others.
They, however, called on the perpetrators to
desist from further attacks on pipelines to
avoid further damaging the economy of the
state and the country in view of continuous
fall of crude oil price.
The communiqué was signed by BEC’s
Chairman, Chief Francis Doukpola and
Publicity Secretary, Chief Thompson Okorotie.
The elders also asked the federal government
to exercise caution while making statements
on the matter and to consult widely before
making decisions on issues affecting the
amnesty programme.
They urged the federal government to apply
the carrot and stick approach by negotiating
with the host communities to bring about
sustainable solutions to the problem.
They said: “The council expresses its support
for the anti-corruption crusade embarked
upon by President Mohammadu Buhari. It is
however concerned about the way certain
fellow Nigerians including Ijaws have been
handled in the process.
“All Nigerians deserve to be treated decently
in preservation of their fundamental human
rights under the rule of law”.
Meanwhile, former federal commissioner for
information, Edwin Clark has written to
President Buhari, asking him to intervene in
the alleged ‘humiliation and harassment’ of
Niger Deltans.
The outspoken Ijaw leader asked Buhari to
look into the harassment of former militant
leader, Government Ekpemupolo, better
known as Tompolo and the proposed
scrapping of the Maritime University in
Okerenkoko, Warri South West Local
Government, Delta state.