•decry threat to livelihood of ijaws
By Christiana Ekpa
Members of the Ijaw Legislators Forum in House of Representatives, has raised alarm over the alleged remapping of some local government areas in Akwa Ibom state, South South region, belonging to the people of Ijaw extraction.
The Forum also decried the threat to the livelihood of the Ijaw people in Akwa Ibom state.
The Group also called on the security agencies to give protection to the lives and properties of the Ijaws living, residing and doing business in Akwa Ibom State.
Briefing the newsmen on Thursday, Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante, lawmaker representing Opobo Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State said “As we speak, they are invading several communities that belong to the Ijaws in Akwa Ibom.
The Lawmakers had a petition laid before the House on Wednesday alleging remapping of local government areas in Akwa Ibom state, that has led to the Ijaw lawmakers from Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers states.
According to Hon. Abiante, “This action was allegedly conducted within a few days to the exit of the immediate past government against all regulations, all requirements attempting to take the land belonging to the ijaw nation”.
“Probably our thinking is that with the passing of the petroleum industry act person who don’t have any bearing with the oil exploration within the state wanting to cease part of the land so that, that will qualify them as host communities.
“We are not bothered, we are not worried. The fact that the bulk of the resources accruing to Akwa Ibom State is derivable from the oil within the local government areas of the Ijaw Nation.
“Eastern Obolo, Ibeno and Mbo local government areas, we know are oil producing. We have come with the aspirations, the desires, the pains and the cries of our people to say NO!
“This should not be, given the Ijaws in Akwa Ibom State could be in the minority in the state, but they deserve the protection of the state, they deserve the protection of the Federal Government. They deserve the protection of the strong. In democracy, the strong are obligated to protect and defend the weak.
“We have come crying and saying please, this should not happen to our people. It is against morality, it is against justice. It is also against the laws of our land. And if anyone takes the law into his hands, then definitely, that person should be told in clear terms that whatever he or she has done or is attempting to do remains illegal. We would not want to go into the details of litigations or no litigations.
“Those are issues that would be brought up at the point when the petition would be determined by the committee”.
according to the lawmakers, the briefing was to sensitive the world on the threat to the livelihood of the people of Ijaw extraction in the state.
When asked to be more explicit on what he meant by “they” invading the villages, Abiante responded, “When you classify a state, a state can be referred to as “they”. And the land, the properties of the Ijaws have been shared among several local government areas in Akwa Ibom State. So they are the “they”.
“Any Ijaw man anywhere is an Ijaw man. You cannot force me to lose my identity. It is the injustice inherent in the system that has divided our people, that has refused to bring us all together in the name of states. SO every Ijaw man anywhere remains an Ijaw man.
“If i come to your father’s house and take your property, you will clap for me I guess. I am asking you”.
The major occupation of the ijaws are predominantly fishing and they reside along the coasts.
“I don’t know how much of Nigerian geography that you know. Ijaws are principally fishermen. We live along the coasts. You may have heard of Ibeno beach which is about the longest natural beach we have in this country. It is a resource. You must have heard about several oil wells from where Akwa Ibom derives her 13 percent. They are all within the Ijaw territory. Is that not going to be too attractive?”
