The sociocultural organization in the Ijaw Nation and in the Niger Delta region, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has described as misleading and unfounded, claims that Ijaw youths are planning coordinated attacks on military locations and facilities across the Niger Delta region.

The INC President, Prof. Okaba Benjamin, made the claims while reacting to an alleged intel report directing military formations in the region to be on high alert.

Prof. Okaba who described the claim as fake further assured that there was no such plan or any reason or justification that warrants contemplating such devilish plan by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), and any other organization in Ijaw land 

Okaba in a statement said: “As the umbrella organisation of Ijaw people worldwide, our attention has been drawn to an orchestrated report aimed at pitching the Federal Government and military against the Ijaw Nation.

"We have carried out diligent investigation and found out that the report is not only fake but a figment of the imagination of those who concocted and generated this delicate, devilish and unfortunate idea."

According to the INC President, the region needs peace, tranquility and development now more than ever, adding that "we are all united as Ijaw people in condemning the dastardly acts of the criminals who killed the officers and men of the Nigerian Army."

Prof. Okaba however called on the Nigerian military to exempt innocent citizens in their quest to fish out the culprits involved in the dastardly act, just as he warned that the issue should not be politicised.

*"We, however, wish to reiterate as in our earlier statements on this subject matter that the military should be more professional in fishing out the culprits. More damages should not be inflicted on the innocent indigenes and that justice be tampered with mercy to the extent of exempting the innocent citizens of the affected communities in their reprisal operations.

"We also wish to use this opportunity to warn and advice members of the political class within and outside the region that they should not take their desperate politics beyond the level of decency" and that "the originators of this evil and very dangerous plot are the true enemies of the Ijaw nation."

President Okaba therefore called on all well meaning Nigerians and particularly the military authorities to disregard "this fake, cheap blackmail and unfounded rumour and treat it as such."

#penglobalcommunity #INC