By Egufe Yafugborhi, WARRI
DELTANS, indeed all Nigerians, should be worried, nay alarmed. The general perception is that the prevailing tension across Udu Local Government Area of Delta State is fast approaching the climax of an ethnic war involving the Urhobo and Ijaw.

This has been brewing since November 17 when native youths gave Ijaws resident in the locality two weeks to relocate or face reprisals following reported killings, burning and occupation of Ayama and Epama, two Udu settlements by Ijaw troops mobilised from neighboring Isaba, Warri South West council area. Udu youths, led by Sunday Subi, were incensed against their Ijaw neighbours, after outgoing Assistant Commissioner of Police, Warri Area Command, Mohammed Mu’Azu, confirmed the killing of Obruche Sunday, a youth of Ayama, an outpost of Aladja, by men from Isaba for blocking Ijaw movement of stolen oil and illegally refined products through their waterway.

Mu’Azu said: “The Ijaw (Isaba) people were coming with a boat containing bunkering products. Ayama people said they should stop passing through their community with the illegal products. They used a canoe to confront them and according to information, the Ijaw used speedboat to capsize the canoe. That was when one person went missing. Ayama (Urhobo) people gathered themselves to attack the speedboat and the people carrying bunkering products. Ijaws also re-enforced and came with arms. It was in this process they shot Sunday on the chest. He died instantly.”

Boro Opudu, Chairman, Delta State Waterways and Inland Security Committee, who incidentally hails from Isaba, said when VF sought his reaction: “I am in Asaba right now. I heard of it. There is nothing I can do than to call the security agents to move in and contain the situation and I believe they are there now.”

Either by Opudu’s directive or sheer discretion, soldiers and policemen did move into Aladja; they convinced the community and Ayama leaders to be calm and shun reprisals moments after the corpse of Sunday had been deposited at Noble Mortuary, Ovwian.

Houses torched, persons missing as hostility spread

Rather than simmer and boil over, hostilities escalated the couple of days that followed. In a Save-Our-Soul to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa presented to the press at Otor-Udu, Udu council headquarters, Subi declared “persons killed and several others held hostage as same killers of Sunday invaded Ayama and Epame.”

Aaron Dama, Ayama Youth Leader, supported by Baye Peter, Secretary, Epame, said: “They came, burnt and destroyed every structure on ground. Even the primary school at Epame was not spared. They held some of our people hostage and occupied the communities. We have been taking refuge at Aladja and other places since then.”

Among those still missing, according to Subi, were Mr. Austine Oduara, his wife who hails from Ovwian, Mrs. Baby College and her son, Ediri, natives of Okwagbe in Ughelli South council area and “five Aladja indigenes being held by the Ijaw in their communities.”

Ijaw denial

Moses Ogugu, Isaba Youths President, in denial of the Udu communities’ claims said: “Isaba did not go to attack Ayama, we can’t attack our people. It was Aladja people who came to attack Ayama people yesterday, that’s why that fracas happened yesterday (November 17). The seven people that they said were held hostage were people passing through river route and because of the fracas that happened, they were held hostage. We have no problem with anybody, the leaders went there and told them that they should not kill anybody. They were told to keep them until we release them to the Delta State Waterway and Lands Security Chairman(Boro Opudu) who came with the Navy to receive them.”

More accusing fingers pointed

The Udu youths accused the state Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro, of indifference to their plight while fingering Opudu, the state security committee chairman for “aiding the Isaba attacks on the Urhobo neighbor because he hails from Isaba.” They further claimed thus: “When the Delta State Commissioner of Police visited the two communities burnt down, he saw the Ijaw boys with guns and other sophisticated weapons. He could not make any arrest. ‘Please this place is not safe, let’s leave here’, was what he said instead.”

But Police Public Relations Officer,  Delta  State, Andrew Aniamaka, countered thus: “We went on the visit with the state SSG, Hon. Ovie Agas, Udu council chairman, Hon. Solomon Kpomah, SSS, DSS and other top government functionaries. They can all attest to it. We never saw anybody with sophisticated weapons because we were fully prepared for trouble makers”.

Aniamaka further downplayed the burning of houses and  stressed that those allegedly being held hostage have since been released to security operatives. However, phone and text enquiry to Boro Opudu, the state security committee chairman, yielded no response. “I am driving, I will call you back when I stop,” he said.

Urhobo draws battle line on back of sad history

Subi declared: “Youths of Udu Kingdom call on all Ijaw resident in Udu Local Government Area to relocate from Udu. This call has become necessary over the unending killing and kidnapping of Urhobo people by the Ijaws.

“We strongly demand immediate release of Mr. and Mrs. Austine Oduara and the other five Aladja indigenes held hostage in Ijaw communities as well as Mrs. Baby College and her son, Ediri. We also call on all Urhobos in Ijaw lands to come back home as soon as possible. We have tried forgetting the past, but history keeps repeating itself. In 1976, a prominent Udu son from Ukpiovwin, Mr. Indian was brutally murdered at Ozobo, Burutu council area. Many Urhobo lost their lives then. In 2003, another prominent Udu son, Velvet Oyibode from Oghior was also murdered in cold blood by Ijaws of Ogodobri and Ayakoromo, Bomadi and Burutu council areas respectively.

“Ijaws on the other hand have been peacefully accommodated in Urhobo land. We know their places across Udu and in other Urhobo communities. They are reminded that though Urhobos live among them in riverine areas, Ijaw have their rich men in Urhobo land. If they fail to release the people they are holding hostage and continue to kill more Urhobo, we shall not hesitate to carry out reprisals”

They further called on Governor Okowa to pay a personal visit to the communities in conflict for first hand assessment and timely intervention.

IYC cautions on Udu self-help eviction notice on Ijaw

Eric Omara, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Spokesman, in a statement, declared thus: “The said ultimatum has generated a lot of apprehension among Ijaws and Urhobos in different parts of the country and beyond. IYC calls on Ijaws resident in Udu Kingdom and different parts of Urhobo nation to be calm.  The highest level of Ijaw and Urhobo leadership are working hard together with the Delta State Government to restore peace between the Ijaw communities of Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba, and the Urhobos of Aladja.

“Information available to IYC leadership is that the Urhobos held at Isaba have since Friday, 11th November, 2016 been handed over to a combined team of Navy, Army and members of the Delta State Land and Waterways Committee. However, IYC is still investigating further allegation of abduction of Urhobos.

“IYC is committed to working with Urhobo Elders and Youths leaders towards amicable resolution of the age-long boundary disputes and we call on all Ijaw and Urhobo youths to give the leadership of both ethnic groups and the Delta State Government the opportunity to find a peaceful solution to the problem.”