A SAVE OUR SOUL (SOS) MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNORS OF RIVERS AND BAYELSA STATES, LEADERSHIPS OF IJAW NATIONAL CONGRESS (INC), IJAW YOUTH COUNCIL (IYC) WORLDWIDE AND RELEVANT SECURITY AGENCIES TO APPEAL FOR QUICK INTERVENTION TO RESCUE TEN (10) IJAW PEOPLE THAT WERE KIDNAPPED IN ISUA JOINKRAMA 2
11th August, 2023.
His Excellency,
Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara
Executive Governor
Rivers State.
His Excellency,
Senator Douye Diri
Executive Governor
Bayelsa State.
His Excellency,
Prof. Benjamin Ogele Okaba
The National President
Ijaw National Congress (INC).
His Excellency,
Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri Snr.
National President
Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.
Your Excellencies,
APPEAL FOR TIMELY INTERVENTION TO RESCUE TEN (10) PERSONS THAT WERE KIDNAPPED IN ISUA JOINKRAMA 2 IN AHOADA WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT
I write to humbly and passionately Appeal to Your Excellencies and all relevant security agencies to ensure the immediate, unconditional release of ten(10) Engenni-Ijaw people mostly women and children who were kidnapped from their farms few days ago in this very month of August, 2023 and they have not been released till this very moment because of the inability of their poor families to raise the Ten Million (#10,000,000.00) Naira that the kidnappers who are suspected to come from neighbouring tribe.
Over the years, countless Engenni people have been kidnapped, raped, maimed and even murdered by suspected youths from neighbouring Oshiobele Community who have camps where they kidnap and keep their victims.
Engenni people like their other Ijaw kinsmen are aborigines and indigenous people who have occupied the present Niger Delta region for centuries and decades and they have never been conquered.
As a people who are part of the larger Ijaw Nation, they have been very peaceful and hospitality people. Unfortunately, their aggressors are taking their hospitality and peaceful disposition for stupidity and weakness.
How can one imagine the kidnap of women and children who went to farm to look for food for survival under the prevalent economic hardship and pains that people are going through.
I wish to join other well meaning people to call on Your Excellencies and all relevant security agencies to ensure the immediate, unconditional release of those innocent victims.
Thanks in anticipation of a quick response.
Yours in the quest for a more safe, secured and prosperous Niger Delta region,
MOST SENIOR COMRADE WISDOM ONIEKPAR IKULI
* National President
Niger Delta Nonviolence Agitators Forum (NDNAF)
* Executive Director
Centre for Peace Advocacy and Social Rehabilitation (CPASR)