By Egufe Yafugborhi

WARRI—THE council of Ijaw elders in Delta State, also known as Izon Okosu-Otu, has warned factions of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, to stop functioning, describing the division rocking the body as an embarrassment to the Ijaw nation.

In a statement by its Chiarman, Chief Bare Etolor, following the split in the apex Ijaw leadership organ, the Delta Ijaw elders stressed that it was not in the best interest of the ethnic group for any of its sonsg invited by anti-graft agencies not to honour same.

Etolor stated: “It is the first time in the annals of the INC for the body to operate under two factions. The media utterances by both sides are disgraceful to the Ijaw nation. Both factions should cease to represent Ijaw in any form whatsoever and those parading themselves as INC leaders should desist forthwith.

“We call on Ijaw traditional rulers to intervene and resolve the issues in the INC. We believe that the conflict is deteriorating for want of elderly intervention and the entire Ijaw nation is affected by the shame that is brewing.”

On the current anti-graft agencies offensives against some Ijaw leaders, the Izon Okosu-Otu noted, “Our sons and daughters are not the only ones invited by the anti-corruption agencies. Anyone invited should graciously turn up to prove his innocence. Nobody is bigger than government.”