The Ijaw National Congress, INC, has demanded the withdrawal of the 14-day quit notice issued Ijaw indigenes resident in Udu Kingdom, Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, in the interest of peaceful co-existence between the two ethnic nationalities.
In a statement by the national president, Chief Boma Obuoforibo, INC, also called on the government of Delta State to “step up its intervention to restore normalcy in Udu Local Government Area and douse the feverish tension in the area.”
According to the Ijaw group, “Government should take far reaching steps, including where necessary, imposition of a dusk to dawn curfew in Udu and parts of Warri South West Local Government Areas of Delta State to prevent total breakdown of law and order in these areas.
“We call on the Delta State Government to take its intervention to resolve the age long communal boundary dispute to its logical conclusion.”
The INC also called for the setting up of Commissions of Inquiry into the land dispute between Ogbe-Ijoh, Isaba, Diebiri and Aladja communities such as the Justice Azinge panel of 1996, Justice Nwulu Panel of 2009 and the present Prof. Ekoko panel.
“The INC calls on Urhobos living in Ijaw land to be calm. We assure them of their security to go about their business without fear of molestation.”
The INC also called on the communities concerned to adhere to the rule of law by “taking their grievances to the appropriate avenues for resolution rather than taking laws into their hands.”
While appreciating the role been played by the media in reporting events arising from the clashes between the communities concerned, INC “strongly advise against sensational reports that are capable of adding to the already tense situation”.
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