Following the tragic event on Saturday at Abuloma in Rivers State during the election of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Eastern Zone to select new executives, the Council has suspended indefinitely it's Secretary General, Maobuye Nangi Obu, for inciting violence which led to the untimely death of some youths leaving many others injured.
The election took a different turn midway into the exercise as gunmen invaded the venue and began shooting indiscriminately.
According to a statement after an Expanded National Executive Council meeting in Portharcourt on 15th of September 2024 signed by Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri, President, IYC Worldwide; Comrade Freedom Atigbi, Deputy President Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide; Ambassador Binebai Yerin Princewill, Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide
Others are Ari Fekorigha, National Director of Mobilisation; Ayebatari Victor-Gow, National Financial Secretary; Tikima Arigban; Chairman IYC Lagos Chapter and Chairman Chairmen Forum; Comrade Peres Ineife; Chairman IYC Central Zone; Comrade Nicholas Tamara-Denyefa, Chairman IYC Western Zone and Comrade Emmanuel Deinma,Chairman IYC Abuja Chapter, confirmed that the Secretary General was seen attacking the President of Council and the Chairman of Zonal Electoral Committee Zeco in an attempt to disrupt the electoral process.
They commisirate with the families of the who died out of what they described as an 'unprovoked attack' and also HRM Brigadier General Bright Ateke Fiboinumama JP, the Obeomomuodo 1 of Abuloma Clan for the losses.
"Council is deeply pained and condoles with the King, HRM Brigadier General Bright Ateke Fiboinumama JP, the Obeomomuodo 1 of Abuloma Clan in Portharcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers State, the immediate families of victims of yesterday's unprovoked attack and mindless violence that led to the unwarranted deaths of many Ijaw youths as well as maiming and injuring of countless people in Abuloma community of Eastern Zone and the Ijaw nation at large during the IYC Eastern Zonal Elections."
"Intelligence revealed that Nangi Maobuye Obu, Secretary General of Council was majorly behind the incitement of the avoidable violence which led to the deaths of several Ijaw Youths, maiming and injuring of countless innocent people and the destruction of properties and setting ablaze of several vehicles".
"Consequently, as a responsible organisation, the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide cannot fold its hands to allow one of us consistently sabotage the progress of Council and Ijaw nation through deliberate actions of selfishness that have brought division, shame and avoidable deaths of Ijaw Youths. Therefore, the expanded NEC resolved that the Secretary General of Council Mr. Maobuye Nangi Obu is hereby suspended indefinitely from all activities of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide forthwith".
"By the actions of the Secretary of Council, the entire Ijaw Youth Council was held hostage by gunmen thereby painting Council in bad light.Accordingly, Council shall transmit this resolutions to the IYC Parliament for appropriate action".
The statement urged the public not to have any dealings Nangi Maobuye in the name of the council.
"The general public, institutions and individuals are hereby advised to desist from any further dealings or transactions with this individual. Anybody who does any transaction or dealings with NANGI Maobuye in the name of Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide does so at his or her own risk".
Earlier, the Rivers Police Command spokesperson , Grace Iringe-Koko, who described the incident as a ‘senseless shooting’, said the Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, quickly dispatched the command’s tactical unit to the scene, to restore order in the area.
She said CP Disu had ordered a crackdown to ensure that the perpetrators were fished out to face justice.
Although some persons claimed that six youths were either shot and killed or cut to death with a cutlasses, others said two were confirmed dead while others sustained various degrees of injuries. But, as at the time of filling this report, the specific number of deaths is yet to be known.
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