- IYC appeals to military to open waterways, says humanitarian crisis imminent
With the blockade mounted on the waterways connecting Egbema kingdom of Warri North Local Government Area by the military Joint Task Force, (JTF) entering its fifth day, hundreds of thousands of Ijaws living in that part of Delta State have cried out over impending starvation following the curfew and restriction on movement imposed by the military.
It would be recalled that an unspecified number of soldiers were reportedly attacked and killed by suspected hoodlums at a military base in Obodo Community in Warri South Local Government Area recently and subsequently, the JTF imposed movement restriction with a blockade of the waterways leading to Egbema kingdom.
The New Diplomat learnt that although the incident purportedly happened in Obodo community in neighbouring Warri South Local Government Area, the army mounted a blockade in the waterway leading to Egbema kingdom in Warri North LGA for reason known only to the military authority.
The military blockade which was mounted about seven days ago, has started taking its toll on thousands of residents of the various riverine communities in the area including major communities such as Tsiekelwu, Opukama, among others, as they are fast running out of food, potable water, medicine for their health centres and other necessities which are usually supplied from Sapele or Warri.
Our correspondent reports that the President of Egbema Leaders of Thought, Elder Edmund Tiemo, on behalf of the several riverine communities in the area has raised the alarm of impending food crisis and had sent a save-our-soul message, SOS, to Chief of Army Staff and the Delta State governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa for intervention to prevent humanitarian crisis in the trapped communities whose access to the outside world has been denied.
In a statement signed by Tiemo, he disclosed that the Egbema people are presently faced with starvation as they have run out of food supplies while it is practically impossible for them to receive supplies from the cities which are hundreds of kilometers away from the riverine areas.
The SOS reads partly: “We wish to draw the attention of the civilized world to the fact that Egbema people in Delta State are currently facing starvation.
“It is comparable only to what is happening in the Tigray region, where Ethiopian soldiers refused to allow UN peacekeepers and food to get to the civil population.
“While they denied our people food and medical attention, the army moved food to soldiers who guard critical oil facilities in our land.
“They have food, light and medical attention in their facilities in our territory, yet, as if it is not enough punishment that we lack these essential commodities.”
They exonerated themselves from the commission of the dastardly act which they said should be thoroughly investigated by the military authorities and bring those culpable to justice, just as they claimed they are being punished for an offence they did not know anything about and which took place outside their Local Government Area.
“The background to this crisis is the alleged attacked on a military base station at Obodo in Warri South Local Government Area, where soldiers were allegedly killed by hoodlums.
“Neither the people of Egbema Kingdom nor the people of Warri North agreed to the commission of the crime for which we have been punished. We have been and are being punished for a crime that was committed outside our local government area.
“Our appeal, therefore, is to the authorities to open the Egbema Kingdom for life to return while the investigation, arrest and prosecution of the hoodlums can continue”, the statement noted.
The communities further stated that they were not in the know when and how the incident which culminated in the blockade happened, adding that a few weeks before the event, local vigilantes in the area were also attacked and some of them killed by unidentified gunmen. According to them, men and officers of the Joint Tax Force may have also become victim of the attack by the hoodlums.
“Although no official statement on the attack has been issued by the JTF, the soldiers had told passengers on the Benin River and Gelegele axis of the attack, thus justifying the blockade of Egbema since July 2, 2021, when the incident reportedly occurred.
“Before this incident, on June 28, 2021, few kilometres from the scene as the Egbema peacekeepers came under attack by unidentified gunmen, leading to loss of several lives. Thus, the military operatives who were attacked are victims just like the Ijaw in the area were also victims of criminal attacks.
“Therefore, it will be wrong for people who have suffered the same magnitude of losses to be subjected to this horror.
“The fundamental rights of the people to move as entrenched in Section 41(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended have been clearly violated in the guise of chasing after hoodlums”, they stated.
Meanwhile, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Western Zone, has appealed to the military authorities to open up the waterway to allow hundreds of thousands of trapped residents of Egbema kingdom, access to the outside world for the supply of food and other essential items to them in order to prevent humanitarian crisis.
In a statement signed by Dr. Doubra Collins Okotete, Chairman, Comrade Olu-Derimon, Secretary and Comrade Lugard Izoukumor, Information Officer, the youth body strongly condemned the killing of military men in the waterways that links Delta and Edo States, as they expressed sympathy with the Nigerian Army and the families of the slain soldiers.
The statement however noted that the residents of the affected communities were going through hell, adding that unless the waterways is urgently opened to allow food supplies to the people there will be humanitarian crisis.
The statement reads in part: “The IYC notes that, it is unlawful and grievous to attack and kill security officials. However, it is also the duty of security agencies to protect lives and properties that will not further create panic and hardship to innocent residents.
“Hence, the IYC appeals for security agencies to discharge their duties in tandem with professionalism, and share intelligence with residents, so that the perpetrators of this dastardly act will face the full-fledge of the law rather than the untold hardship innocent residents are going through.
“The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Western Zone says that the military siege in Ijaw water-ways which has truncated legitimate business in Ijaw communities of Edo and Delta States by the Nigerian military is uncalled for.
“The IYC believes that the transfer of aggression by the military on innocent people is needless. Movement has been restricted, for close to a week, and this has orchestrated untold hardship amongst residents whose livelihood is fishing and farming, and could not have access to shelter and food anymore. Children are in fear and hunger and could not pursue their academic obligations anymore.
“The Ijaw Council (IYC) Western Zone also sympathizes with the family of deceased’s, the Nigerian military and called on the perpetrators to desist from such nefarious acts to repent and add value to societal growth rather than being bearers of evil deeds”, the body noted.
Speaking with The New Diplomat on phone, a resident of Egbema, Pastor Innocent Peremei who operates a church in Oprukama community in the affected area, said that he traveled to Warri for religious activities when the incident happened, adding that he could not go back to join his family home because of the waterways blockade by the army.
According to him, he planned to be in Warri for one week and on his way back to Egbema, he would purchase some food stuff including other merchandize to replenish his wife’s shop. He however lamented that his family must have run out of food stock at the moment and are grappling with untold hardship.
“I came to Warri for a one-week crusade with my Warri branch church when the incident happened at home. I totally condemned the killing of security personnel that have been maintaining peace and protecting our communities. I hope they will be able to track the hoodlums down and bring them to justice.
“However, the lockdown of our community by the military is almost a week now. I think it is time they reviewed the curfew to allow free movement to avoid a situation where the people will be faced with starvation.
“I sincerely plead with the military authority to open up the waterways and allow free movement. Look at it now, I left home for Warri with the hope of buying some food stuff and wares for my wife store on my return journey home but I can’t do that now.
“I know that my family would have ran out of the food stock left in my home before I came to Warri but how can they get supplies now”, he lamented.
The New Diplomat’s effort to reach the Chairman of Warri North Local Government Area, Capt. Smart Asekutu to comment on the plight of his people, has so far, proved abortive as he neither picked calls to his cell phone nor responded to SMS message sent to him.
