IYC Vows To Retaliate Over Eket Militants Attack On Akwa Ibom Ijaws 

By Ndu Samuel 

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has vowed to retaliate any further attacks from the Eket militants on the Ibeno Ijaws In Akwa Ibom State. 

This was contained in a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Warri, Delta State by Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide on Tuesday 24th of December 2024, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspapers. 

The statement reads in full:

A PRESS BRIEFING HELD ON TUESDAY 24TH OF DECEMBER 2024 IN WARRI DELTA STATE OVER THE FREQUENT ATTACKS ON OUR PEACEFUL AND DEFENSELESS IJAW PEOPLE IN AKWA IBOM STATE BY EKET MILITANTS 

The attention of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has been drawn yet again by the people of Eket in Akwa Ibom State fanning the embers of trouble wherein Ijaw communities have been  invaded, resulting to the injuring of our people and properties worthing millions of naira destroyed. 

However, we are compelled to organise this press briefing due to the series of unprovoked attacks on our people by Eket militants. On February 26th, 2024, Eket people blocked the only access road to Ibeno, which later escalated into a full-scale war, resulting in the loss of lives and destruction of properties. Again, on November 10th, 2024, Eket militants invaded Inua Eyet Ikot 11 in Ibeno Local Government Area, destroying houses, including a government-built health center.

The IYC is aware that since the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Emmanuel Udom tried to remap the Ijaw territories in a strange move that we viewed  as a calculated attempt to annex our ancestral lands to provoke and undermine  the  Ijaws of Akwa Ibom, there had been series of attacks on our peaceful and defenseless Ijaw people in Akwa Ibom State. To us, we see this as a serious threat to peace, our continued existence and survival in Akwa Ibom. 

However, the Ijaw Youth Council is sounding this note of warning that the Ijaw people will not allow any part of their land to be seized by the Government of Akwa Ibom or neighbouring tribes in the state. We are ready to resist any attempt to annex our God given ancestral lands. 

While peace is priceless, the IYC will not negotiate the development and peaceful coexistence of the Ijaws in any part of  the  World including the safety of our people in Akwa Ibom for anything. An attack on any Ijaw in Akwa Ibom State  or anywhere is an attack on the Ijaws in general and if the Government fails to do the needful by calling the Eket militants to order, the Ijaw people will have no choice than to defend themselves.

Your Excellency, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State,  the Ijaws will not seat idle to watch people under your watch as Governor of Akwa Ibom terrorising the Ijaw people. There is a limit to everything, we don’t know how long we are going to tolerate this carnivorous behaviour from the Eket people. A stitch in time they say saves nine. 

It is high time the Government of Akwa Ibom under your leadership takes the proper development of Ijaw areas more serious with massive appointment and empowerment of our people in your Government. Our politically propelled minority status in Akwa Ibom should not be a yardstick for intimidation, ethnic cleansing and our underdevelopment. 

The leadership of the IYC will not exhitate in mobilising all structures of council by working closely with the Eastern Zone leadership in putting an end to this life threatening situation that our people in Ebeno have been subjected to face in Akwa Ibom. 

Let it be known that the Ijaws in Akwa Ibom, the Ibeno and Obolo people did not force themselves to be Indigenes of Akwa Ibom, as Ijaws, they are a founding ethnic group in Akwa Ibom State hence no one have the monopoly of maltreating them, they should be given the needed respect and honour that they deserved. Going forward, the IYC will not keep quiet without retaliating if any attack is meted out on our people in Akwa Ibom by the Eket people. 

Finally, while the IYC is commending Governor Enor in his peaceful disposition, we are aware of his goodwill towards the Ijaw people in Akwa Ibom and it is our assurance as a council that the Ijaw people will continue to revere him and will do our part in supporting his administration. 

Signed. 

Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill 

Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.

About The Author