Ijaw Communities Still Backward, By Activists

* Condemns killings, protests in Northern Nigeria

SOME 78 Ijaw activists, including repentant militant leaders, rose from a meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa

State capital, in the wee hours of Monday, condemning in very strong terms, the political killings and

ethno-religious protests in the northern part of Nigeria.

It was learnt that while commending their kinsman, President Goodluck Jonathan, for emerging the presidential

flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the coming April polls, they, however, noted with a

seeming bitterness that Ijaw communities are still largely undeveloped.

The activists who met on the platform of a relatively new group, (Veterans of Ijaw Struggle (VIS) lamented

what they described as ‘‘the pathetic and   backward economic condition'' of Ijaw communities. The forum also

 expressed serious concern about the environmental condition of their areas and observed with dismay

that their ecosystem has been badly damaged by the oil and gas industry.

On the uprising in the North, they said the continuous spate of violence in the country, especially in Plateau and 

 Borno States ''is very disturbing as it highly condemnable'' and  accordingly call on the security forces to do

 everything possible to stop this shame and ugly trend from spreading. Government should fish out and           

  prosecute the perpetrators and sponsors of these criminal acts''.       

 They equally frowned at the non-involvement of the surviving founding fathers of the Ijaw struggle in key

government positions, alleged unabated environmental   degradation such as continuous gas flaring, mindless

destruction of so many     Ijaw communities and lack of integrity among some founding fathers infiltration of

criminals and opportunists into the struggle and deviation from the ideals of the noble cause.

They have warned the National Assembly against playing politics with the zero-gas-flaring bill, allegedly

gathering mountains of dust in their chambers in a bid not to attract the wrath of the affected people.

Meanwhile, the activists have picked a three-man protem executive to pilot the affairs of the group pending

the election of substantive executive council. Leading the new group as Chairman is Kalsuo Deo Doupere,

Justice Demeyai, Secretary, and Nengi James,                  Publicity Secretary.