The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide says it is in support of calls for the arrest of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike over his threat to "put fire" in states controlled by governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if they interfere in the politics of Rivers State.
The IYC says it is behind Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, who made the call for the arrest of Wike, saying the minister's comment was reckless and inciting.
Clark had last week called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to arrest Wike for hitting up the polity with such undemocratic statement.
Spokesman of the IYC, Binebai Yerin Princewill, in a statement said Wike should be held responsible if Nigeria boils, adding that "Nigeria belongs to all of us and no one has the monopoly of violence."
The statement further said: "It has become imperative following some undemocratic elements that dared to oppose our father, Chief Edwin Clark’s position when in reality the position taken, calling for the arrest of Wike is the only way to pay for his reckless comment of inflaming PDP controlled states if the Governors interfere with Rivers State politics.
"The IYC will continue to be apolitical, but the implication of the statement bothers on the insecurity of Nigeria hence the IYC cannot keep quiet as critical stakeholders in the country."
The IYC added that it will not sit back and watch anyone insult Clark because of his frank and patriotic call, noting that the ijaw leader has made sacrifices to keep the country intact and will not watch anyone no matter how highly placed to ruin it.
"We will not tolerate any misguided fellow or groups of persons under any guise to insult our national leader because Pa Clark has fully paid his dues for the country, he is not a match to any of these elements. Those blabbing today won't be blabbing if the likes of Pa Clark had not paved the way for the things we are enjoying in Nigeria and Niger Delta today. People must learn to respect elders.
"The statement credited to the FCT Minister Wike is too weighty for the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to ignore. The level of unbridled impunity and audacity with which Wike speaks undermining the security of this country has truly reached a boiling point.
"The Ijaw Youth Council is sounding this note of warning that Wike and his crew must allow Governor Fubara Siminalaye to rule Rivers State in peace. By now, reality should have done on Wike that his fight against Fubara will not favour him as the Rivers people are wise and the Ijaws all over the world are fully with our brother Fubara. The Ijaw people can never lose any battle.
"It is high time security agencies lived up to the expectations of Nigerians. Allowing the free reign of impunity from characters like Wike who make statements capable of causing chaos and unrest in the country is condemnable. This does not tell well of our security agencies. We should all remember that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Pa Clark's call on the IGP to Arrest Wike with a warrant of arrest should be looked into critically. How can a man who has law knowledge and training be talking like a god of the lowest grade of uninformed terrorists?
Continuing they said: "The federal government must know that Nigeria is not a banana republic but a country governed by law, people cannot be seen to be operating as if they are above the laws of this country with so much open demonstration of impunity. If the Police is silent on this matter and the Federal Government of Nigeria headed by President Bola Tinubu is also silent on this, one begins to wonder what the Government will do right when an individual is already behaving like a God, bigger than the state and national governments in this country. This is truly disturbing and worrisome.
"Wike's statement is a prelude to chaos and anarchy in a country that is already grappling with series of challenges ranging from insecurity and the bitting hardship faced by Nigerians. The remark is so undemocratic and calls for great concern by reasonable, patriotic, and responsible Nigerians.
"Government anywhere in the World loses legitimacy when it becomes docile on issues that matter concerning its citizens, if it is people like Wike that are the main characters in the Tinubu Government, it shows that there is no hope for a better Nigeria. It has further put a serious question mark on the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
"Nigerians are already at the crossroads. The voice of an excellent leader like Pa Clark is the voice of wisdom. Listening and acting on his wise counsel will do a lot of good to the country, particularly to the present government at the center that Nigerians are already grumbling about."
