The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has decried the activities of the military in Gbaramatu Kingdom where they are believed to be looking for the Niger Delta Avengers, a group that has been blowing up oil installations in recent weeks.
Reports say several villagers, including women and children, fleeing from different Gbaramatu communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, following the siege by soldiers, have remained trapped in the bush for the past four days without food.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Mr. Eric Omare, the IYC said: “The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Worldwide wishes to alert the world of the massive military and genocidal attacks against Ijaw people and communities of the Niger Delta of Nigeria.
“From Monday, May 30 to the early hours of today, Tuesday, May 31, 2016, there have been massive military attacks against innocent Ijaw communities and peoples from Gbaramatu to Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdoms in Delta State to Southern Ijaw, Nembe, Brass and some other local government areas of Bayelsa State.
“In Gbaramatu, Delta State the people, especially women and children are in serious danger of mass death if they are not rescued from the rampaging military officers.
“Most people that ran into the bush in Oporoza, Kurutie, Kunukunuma, Kokodiagbene and some other villages and communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State are yet to be seen.
“In parts of Ogbe-Ijoh, especially the Naifor Island (Opposite Warri), the Navy throughout the night of May 30 to May 31, shot sporadically into the communities and in the process, a couple (Mr and Mrs Tiemo) were critically wounded.
“Ironically, this couple only recently ran to Naifor Island to escape the military onslaught. The villagers in desperation took the critically injured couple to the Navy base where they left them for the Navy to do whatever they wished to do with the couple.
“The state of this couple from Ayakoromo community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State is still unknown at the time of issuing this statement.
“The IYC recall a similar incident a few months ago at the start of the renewed hostilities in the Niger Delta region in the same community.
“There is no oil facility in Naifor Island, Ogbe-Ijoh and none is close to the community. Therefore, there is no singular justification why the Navy has decided to use that particular community as its main target to justify the huge sum of money allocated to them to find the Avengers,” the IYC stated.
