Posted by By EMMANUEL OGOIGBE Warri on
Ijaw militant youths, after the bloodbath in Delta State on Thursday, stormed the SUN office in Warri, threatening that they are ready to lay down their lives instead of allowing the three foreign nationals to go home alive.
•But youths storm SUN office, renew threat to kill hostages
Ijaw militant youths, after the bloodbath in Delta State on Thursday, stormed the SUN office in Warri, threatening that they are ready to lay down their lives instead of allowing the three foreign nationals to go home alive.
The youths could not be identified as they adisguised themselves with dark sunshades. In a minute, they zoomed off, threatening to unleash more terror until President Olusegun Obasanjo answer their ten points requests.
But some Ijaw leaders, after exhaustive meetings, pleaded with the angry youths to lay down their arms and embrace dialogue, particularly as they had already tabled their demands before the Presidency through Governor James Ibori.
The leaders praised President Obasanjo for withdrawing Brigadier-General Elias Zamani, erstwhile Commander, Joint Military Task Force on Niger-Delta, over his alleged unwholesome activities in the region.
Chief Bare Etolor, Delta State co-ordinator, Ezon communities of Warri, pleaded with the militant youths not to shed innocent blood, pleading for the release of the remaining three expatriates still held hostage by the youths.
"We are still appealing to the militant youths to extend the deadline given to the federal government and also to make sure that the three hostages are released.If the youths go ahead to shed innocent blood, they will definitely lose the sympathy of other Nigeria, including the international communities. Above all, spilling innocent blood will not augur well because the expatriates are not part of our problems. Although the militant youths have reasons for their action, we Ijaw leaders don't support hostage taking and violence at all", he said.
The Joint military task force on Niger-Delta crisis started this conflict by bombing some Ijaw villages. They want to deceive the federal government or cover-up their bunkering by attacking innocent villages and this prompted the kidnap of expatriates by the youths. The military should apologize to the Ijaw nation. The barges they claimed they have destroyed were owned by their bunkers friends. During the bombing of the barges, was there any spillage. In fact nothing was found inside the barges.
They were just trying to impress the federal government that they are working, whereas, they are causing problems everywhere. Besides they are part of the bunkering business.
High Chief Jimmy Taylor, Prime Minister, Egbema Kingdom, who confirmed a series of meetings by Ijaw elders, described the situation as very explosive and appealed to the government to listen to the demands of the youths.
However, he expressed optimism that the hostages would be released soon, following assurances from the youths. "We have successfully persuaded the warring youths not to carry out their threat of unleashing further mayhem in the already crisis plagued areas", he said.
Some Ijaw leaders, he added, had visited the hostages and met them in good health. "They have access to their medical doctors and they are properly being taken care of. I can assure you that they are in good health condition. The hostages are equally pleading with both the State and Federal government to intervene so that they can gain their freedom.