Ijaw Youths Council Vows to Protect Ancestral Land in Eastern Obolo, Urges Akwa Ibom Government for Inclusion
The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has issued a stern warning against any attempts by other groups to displace the Ijaw people from their ancestral land in the eastern Obolo area. Mr. Binebai Princewill, the IYC’s spokesman, emphasized that the government of Akwa Ibom must recognize the Ijaws of the region as an integral part of the state.
During a visit led by Mr. Jonathan Lokpobiri, the national president of IYC, to His Royal Majesty, Etetor John, the paramount ruler of Eastern Obolo in Akwa Ibom, the council urged the state government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to initiate plans for the construction of the much-needed Obolo road project.
“The Eastern Obolo road project has become a death trap for the Ijaw people, and we demand swift action from the Akwa Ibom State Government and NDDC to commence its construction,” said Mr. Princewill in a statement released to Vanguard in Warri.
The IYC stressed the importance of treating the Ijaws of Akwa Ibom with utmost attention and ensuring their fair and inclusive development as citizens of the state. The council emphasized that the Ijaws are significant contributors to the political and economic landscape, both in Akwa Ibom and the entire country.
Furthermore, Mr. Princewill stated that any form of injustice towards the Ijaw people in the region would be regarded as an injustice to all Ijaws worldwide. He highlighted that the Ijaws in Eastern Obolo possess abundant God-given natural resources, playing a vital role in the state’s economic foundation and contributing significantly to the nation’s revenue.
