By Omoniyi Salaudeen
Concerned with the daunting security challenges confronting the country, Ijaw Elders’ Consultative Forum has reiterated its commitment to work with the relevant stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to ensure the safety of lives and property of its people.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting held at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, the IEF noted with concern the perceived militarisation of the region, stressing the need for collaborative effort to promote community-based initiative on the security.
It reads in part: “The meeting discussed the state of security in the Niger Delta and hereby reiterates the commitment of the Ijaw to work with other neighbours to protect our territories at the South-South regional level, using community and people-based initiative which had worked effectively in times past.”
This is even as the elders lamented the neglect of infrastructures in the Niger Delta, especially the East-West road, environmental degradation, attendant loss of means livelihood as well as inadequate representation of its people in the scheme of things, declaring that “the hen that lays the proverbial golden eggs can no longer accept to be treated with such neglect.”