Lawmakers of Ijaw extraction, in the National Assembly under the aegis of the Ijaw Legislators Forum have protested the alleged remapping of some local government areas in Akwa Ibom State at the twilight of the past administration in the state.
The lawmakers, who spoke at a press briefing, on Thursday, in Abuja, said Ijaws in Akwa Ibom are allegedly being harassed and their source of livelihood threatened.
Consequently, they called on security agencies to protect the lives and property of the Ijaws in the state.
The member of the House of Representatives, representing Opobo/ Nkoro Federal Constituency of Rivers State, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, who spoke, on behalf of the lawmakers, said “As we speak, they are invading several communities that belong to the Ijaws in Akwa Ibom State.”
Abiante explained that the remapping “was allegedly conducted within a few days to the exit of the immediate past government against all regulations, all requirements attempting to take the land belonging to the Ijaw nation.”
“Probably, our thinking is that with the passing of the Petroleum Industry Act, persons, who don’t have any bearing with the oil exploration within the state wants to cease part of the land, so that, that will qualify them as host communities.
“We are not bothered; we are not worried by the fact that the bulk of the resources accruing to Akwa Ibom State is derivable from the oil within the local government areas of the Ijaw nation.”
The lawmaker added that “the Ijaws in Akwa Ibom State could be in the minority in the state, but they deserve the protection of the state, they deserve the protection of the Federal Government. They deserve the protection of the strong. In a democracy, the strong are obligated to protect and defend the weak.
“We have come crying and saying please, this should not happen to our people. It is against morality. It is against justice. It is also against the laws of our land. And if anyone takes the law into his hands, then definitely, that person should be told in clear terms that whatever he or she has done or is attempting to remain illegal.
“Any Ijaw man anywhere is an Ijaw man. You cannot force me to lose my identity. It is the injustice inherent in the system that has divided our people that has refused to bring us all together in the name of states. So, every Ijaw man anywhere remains an Ijaw man.”
