Group alleges desecration of Ijaw forests

BY DAPO AKINREFON

THE Ijaw Peoples Congress, IPC, has kicked against the alleged desecration of the forests of Akparemogbene, Oyanfbene and Ayakoromo in Buruku local government area of Delta State by a firm.

In a statement, IPC national president, Mr Ekanpou Enewaridideke, said it was imperative for the firm to stop the collection of data in the communities, saying “this ongoing invasive desecration is being embarked upon without consensual discussion with these communities.”

Enewaridideke, who accused the company of creating problems in the respective communities, alleged that there was a hidden agenda to create disaffection there.

He said, “The firm claims to be engaged in data collection and gathering in preparation for seismic exploration and we guess this is how they give wrong data to NNPC  and later create problems to generations unborn and label the Ijaws militants when they agitate for corrective reversal.

Must data-collection in an area be carried out without the involvement of the people in the territory?  This will have to stop for the cascade of a procedurally acceptable approach. Why must the firm suddenly invade the forests of these communities if they had no evil intention?”