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Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has slammed Governor Nyesom Wike over what it called the ill-treatment of Ijaws in Rivers State
The Secretary- General of IYC, Alfred Kemepado who stated this in a statement expressed disappointment over lack of proper burial for the 42 Ijaw youths killed in Buguma and Abonema during the 2019 Presidential election.
Mr Kemepado said the harmless youths were allegedly murdered by federal forces while they stood to defend the democracy that made Governor Wike the Governor of Rivers State.
According to him up till date, a befitting burial has not been given to any of the Ijaw sons or even compensation to their families.
He noted that while Wike had visited the family of late Dr Ferry Gberegbe , a victim of such violence in Khana and donated about N200m, which is commendable, the governor has however failed to send a condolence letter to any of the victims in Abonnema, Buguma and our sister, Ms Ibisiki Amachree who was also murdered in same manner in Degema.
The statement read in part “This act of disregard for such huge sacrifice by Ijaw youths, demonstrates Gov. Wike’s disrespect and disregard for the lives of our people. Instead, Governor Wike is spitting on their graves by threatening to remove an Ijaw Monarch in the ancient Kalabari kingdom because of the Visit of Governor Dickson to the monarch over the death of his children. We want Governor Wike to note that the traditional stools in Ijaw land are older than Rivers State where he is Governor and they should not be considered as subjects he can intimidate. Governor Wike should remember his own Ikwere tradition that prescribes respect for the elderly and traditional institutions and should resist the temptation to overreach himself. He should not be disrespectful when addressing elders and traditional stools. The Governor should compensate the Ijaws with projects in Ijaw land because the Ijaws are the highest casualties in his bid to become Governor of Rivers State the second time. He should erect a memorial in honour of the Ijaw youths massacred for his sake and not insult Ijaw monarchs. Until Governor Wike apologise to the Ijaw monarch he threatened and to all Ijaws, no Ijaw community and her people should take him and anything that comes from him serious. The politicization of a condolence visit by the Governor of Bayelsa state to a bereaved monarch is sad and disappointing.”
