seeks probe of Abuloma killings

The crisis rocking the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has deepened following the allegations of high-handedness, abuse of power and financial misdeeds against the council’s President, Jonathan Lokpobiri by four executive committee members of the council.

The national officers of the IYC kicking against the leadership style of Lokpobiri are the Secretary-General of the council, Maobuye Nangi Obu; the council’s National Women Leader, Miracle Iyaye; National Legal Adviser, Tamunotonye David and National Deputy Director of Mobilisation, Abiye Bob-Manuel.

The officials in a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Wednesday called on security agencies to probe Jonathan over the reckless killings and maiming of Ijaw youths during the recent IYC Eastern zone’s elections.

The IYC leaders, who hail from the Eastern Zone, said the council had been at a crossroad since Lokpobiri’s administration began insisting that the IYC boss had been running the council as his personal estate.

Speaking on their behalf, Obu condemned the September 14, 2024, massacre in Abuloma, alleging that it was caused by Lokpobiri’s lack of capacity and selfish leadership style.

Obu asked security agencies to investigate the roles played by Lokpobiri and his preferred candidate for the Eastern Zonal chairmanship, Asikitamunoprim Edwards, during the violence.

While apologizing to the people of Abuloma for the violence, Obu said the IYC would not condone such bloodshed insisting that the council would work tirelessly to ensure justice.

Obu said: We are deeply saddened by the events that unfolded in Abuloma, and we condemn the actions of Jonathan Lokpobiri and his associates. The IYC will not condone violence or intimidation, and we will work tirelessly to ensure justice is served.”

The IYC scribe traced the genesis of the violent incident to manipulation and external interferences brought into the electoral process by Jonathan.

He said security agencies should probe the allegations that Jonathan mobilised thugs to disrupt the IYC Eastern Zonal elections initially scheduled for September 7 in Opobo Town, Opobo/Nkoro LGA.

Obu recalled that Jonathan suspended the first election and ignored suggestions to retain Opobo as the venue of the poll or relocate it to Okochiri, or Obuama, the homes of revered Ijaw leaders.

He said without consultations, Jonathan relocated the elections to Abuloma adding that his motive of doing so became clearer after the area was saturated with thugs.

Obu, however, said Jonathan had declared the winner of the election, administered the oaths of office on him and left the venue before his thugs invaded the area and slaughtered Ijaw youths.

He wondered why Jonathan came about his claims that he (Obu) caused the chaos just as he accused the IYC boss of giving some officials of the council N5million to suspend him.

He said: “The IYC Eastern Zone initially chose 7th of September for the elections and Opobo Town in Opobo/Nkoro LGA, was chosen as the venue for the poll.

“We are the national officers from the zone, so If by constitution anyone should meddle in the affairs of the zone it should be the four of us, not the President but the President came with another agenda on that day because the FCT Minister is interested in balkanizing and causing chaos in ijaw nation.

“He is using the Minister of State oil, who is his brother to fund the chaos and crisis. When we got to the venue of the elections on the slated date, Jonathan mobilized his thugs to Opobo. When the election was about to kick off, he saw that his candidate would not fly, he grabbed the microphone and suspended the elections.

“As National officers, we suggested to him to take the elections back to Opobo, Okochiri or Obuama in Okrika and Degema Councils, where our revered leaders are based but Jonathan refused and consequently took the election to Abuloma.

“We not aware of the later slated date until the morning of the election and we rushed to the location. Jonathan was the one who, declared the winner, and administered the oath of office to the winner.

“Jonathan was allowed to leave the place and immediately he drove off, they locked the place and started shooting and it became so intense and we almost lost our lives but thank God we survived.

“However, in less than two hours Jonathan had made his investigation and heap the blame and all allegation on me while he paid N5million to people to get their signatures and said they had suspended me”.

Obu further said they were worried over Jonathan’s financial management of the council citing allegations of profligacy and misuse of funds.

He said the council had remained critical of Jonathan’s brother and Minister of State for Petroleum, Oil, insisting that his qualifications and actions should be called to question.

He said: “We are Ijaw people and we are here speaking at the level of Ijaw Youth Council. We do not want to begin to do things that will look as if is ethnic clash”.

It could be recalled that Jonathan and other members of the IYC exco had in a viral statement suspended Obu accusing him of complicit in the bloodbath that characterised the election.

They also held a press conference castigating Obu and calling on security agencies to arrest him.