The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has called for an end to the harassment and arrest of Ijaw sons across the country, noting that in the last few months, Ijaw lands and her prominent leaders have been invaded, harassed, arrested and embarrassed for whatever strange reasons by the military that the Ijaw people are yet to know.

Spokesman ofIYCWorldwide, Amb Binebai Princewill in a statement in Yenagoa, said the IYC is demanding to know the whereabouts and offence of Amb. Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, who is a former Rivers State Governorship candidate in the last Governorship election in Rivers State and a critical stakeholder and leader in Ijaw nation.

He said:”The attention of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has again been drawn to the incessant invasion, harassment and arrest of Ijaw sons in the Nigerian State, particularly on Monday 8th of April 2024 at 3:30am in Osokun, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State wherein a highly revered Ijaw leader, Amb. Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, popularly known as Egberipapa was arrested and two of his men killed in the process.

“A point must be made known that the Ijaws are not second class fiddles in this country; we have sacrificed a lot towards the growth and development of this country and needs not to be treated as a conquered people.

“In the last few months, Ijaw lands and her prominent leaders have been invaded, harassed, arrested and embarrassed for whatever strange reasons by the military that the Ijaw people are yet to know.

“The IYC Worldwide was inundated with distress calls from Ijaw Youths all over the World yesterday on how military men with Vans and Armoured Personnel Carrier stormed the Osokun Resident of Amb. Sobomabo Jackrich in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State wherein two persons were killed and Jackrich was arrested and taken to an unknown destination.

“The IYC is demanding to know the whereabouts of Amb. Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, who is a former Rivers State Governorship candidate in the last Governorship election in Rivers State and a critical stakeholder and leader in Ijaw nation.

“Nigeria is not a banana republic, Nigeria is a country governed by law, whatever we do must be within the ambit of the law, those meant to protect the law must not be seen breaking the law. Too many Ijaw leaders and critical stakeholders have been killed, harassed and humiliated in the past few weeks that we are yet to know the reasons behind such attacks and invasions.

“In a similar fashion, One Chief Tike Weris, Former Chairman of Bayelsa Waterways Security was brazenly arrested by the Military at The Port Harcourt International Airport and up till now, there is no single information about his whereabouts and safety. In fact rumours have it that he has been killed in custody. We hope that this rumour is not true.

“While the Ijaw Youth Council will continue to champion peace movements in Nigeria and Niger Delta, we will not forget to draw our attention to certain events similar to the Okuama attack on the military in the North and the perceived response from the Military. While we are not against fighting crime in Nigeria, we want this to be done within the ambit of the law.

“The Nigerian Military cannot only be powerful in the South and Niger Delta and cannot be seen displaying such might in the North that far stronger crimes are committed by insurgents and other criminal elements.

“Council has also watched the President Bola Tinubu led Federal Government of Nigeria on how the Military recently went to negotiate with bandits for the release of the 137 Kaduna students and in the process also had a handshake with the bandits instead of enforcement of their rights, only God knows what would have happened if it were to be in the Niger Delta.

“Finally, With the way things are going, the Ijaw people will not be surprised to wake up one day that the military has invaded former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s House. This attack on Ijaw leaders is becoming worrisome in the Nigerian State. We demand to know the whereabouts and offense of Sobomabo Jackrich. What is the offense of the Ijaw people in the Nigerian state,” the group added.(Vanguard)