By Emma Amaize
TENSION mounted at Udu kingdom, Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, following a 14-day quit notice slammed by Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Youth Wing, Udu, on Ijaw natives residing in the area.
The ultimatum followed alleged kidnap of some Urhobo indigenes at Aladja, an Urhobo community in Udu kingdom purportedly by Ijaw.
However, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, and Ijaw People Development Initiative, IPDI, which reacted to the development, Friday, called for restrain on the part of Urhobo people, saying there was no war between Ijaw and Urhobo in the state.
Spokesperson of IYC, Mr. Eric Omare, in a statement, said: “The attention of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide has been drawn to a publication in several newspapers where one Comrade Sunday Subi, who is the chairman of the Urhobo Progress Union, Youth Wing in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State gave ultimatum to Ijaws in Udu Kingdom to leave Udu within 14 days.”
“The reason for this ultimatum is said to be because of Urhobos that were allegedly kidnapped at Aladja community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.
“The said ultimatum has generated a lot of apprehension among Ijaws and Urhobos in different parts of the country and beyond. The IYC calls on Ijaw resident in Udu Kingdom and different parts of Urhobo nation to be calm. The highest level of Ijaw and Urhobo leadership are working hard together with the Delta State Government to restore peace between the Ijaw communities of Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba and, the Urhobos of Aladja,” it said.
The council added: “There is no inter-ethnic conflict between the Ijaw and Urhobo to warrant any ultimatum. The aged long boundary disputes between the Ijaw of Ogbe-Ijoh, Isaba, Diebiri and the Urhobos of Aladja are local issues and have nothing to do with the wider relationship between the Ijaw and Urhobo ethnic nationalities,”
It stated: “The information available to the IYC leadership is that the Urhobo that were held at Isaba community have since Friday, the 11th of November, 2016, been handed over to a combined team of Navy, Army and members of the Delta State Land and Waterways Committee, led by its Chairman, Chief Boro Opudu. However, the leadership of the IYC is still investigating the further allegation of abduction of Urhobo.”
“The IYC commit to working with Urhobo elders and youths leader towards an amicable resolution of the aged long boundary disputes between the Ijaw of Ogbe-Ijoh, Isaba, Diebiri and the Urhobos of Aladja and we call on all Ijaw and Urhobo youths to give the leadership of the two ethnic groups and the Delta State Government the opportunity to find a peaceful solution to the problem,” it asserted.
On its part, IPDI, in a statement by its actomg spokesperson, Mayor Ogobiri, said the ultimatum on Ijaw living in Ovwian, Orhuwhoru and Udu to relocate from the area was uncalled.
‘It is pertinent to note that Ijaw and Uhrobo are not at war. So, such ultimatum is unnecessary and needless. Though, what transpired between Aladja and Isaba recently is not a good development. We want proper investigation to be carried out with a view to ascertaining the cause of the crisis and finding lasting solution to it.
“Ijaw and Uhrobo have being living together peacefully for decades. It is not wise to offer such ultimatum. This is a false impression Udu youths are creating because of the wrong impression that Ijaw is at war with their Urhoobo neighbor,” the group said.
It added: “It is our candid advice that every angry nerve be calm, as war will not do anybody good. Its product is destruction. As people of the 21st century, you do not need to destroy yourselves to settle your differences.”
“We, therefore, warn that Urhobo nation and Ijaw nation should steer clear from trouble on the issue of Aladja, Isaba and Ogbe-Ijoh. Urhobo should stop planning coordinated attacks against Ijaw living in their land. Equally, Ijaw should not because of what is happening wage war against Urhobo. Let it be settled at the communal level.
It said Urhobo people reside in large numbers in Ijaw communities such as Ofoni in Bayelsa state; Bomadi, Patani and Burutu in Delta state and it would be unfortunate to put their lives in jeopardy because of mere communal land disputes between Aladja and Isaba.
“We want to say that Udu Youths should not throw caution to the wind. We know what happened recently between Aladja and Isaba. It is very unfortunate, but despite that, we should be very careful with our public utterances. We should stop creating false impression in the public that Ijaw is at war with Uhrobo. Every attempt to degenerate the communal dispute to tribal will be strongly resisted.
“We call on the governor of Delta state, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, political leaders of both tribes and traditional rulers of Ijaw and Uhrobo to quickly intervene to put to an end what is happening among Aladja, Isaba and Ogbe-Ijoh communities,” it said.
The post Tension in Udu: Ijaw, Urhobo not at war— IYC, IPDI appeared first on Vanguard News.
Originally posted by Adeshola