By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

PRESIDENT of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Youth wing, Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Sunday Subi, has warned that Urhobo youths will not issue ultimatum if Ijaw youths kill their kinsman and raze their communities again, as nobody has a monopoly of violence.

Youths protesting the postponement in Benin

Subi, who broke his silence after calling off the two-week ultimatum that almost caused ethnic war between Urhobo and Ijaw in the state, said the ultimatum was necessary at the time it was issued to curb the excesses of Ijaw youths.

He disclosed that even after a peace accord had been signed, Isaba youths still went about with guns and Urhobo people, who went to the farm only managed to escape.

His words: “I wish to use this medium to call on the state governor, Senator Okowa to call the leadership of Isaba and Ijaw to order because it will not be tolerated if any harm is done to our people again, there will be no need for any ultimatum. I also call on well- meaning Ijaw leaders to advise them because nobody has the monopoly of violence.”

The state was tension-soaked following the two-week ultimatum issued by Subi on November 17 following the killing of an Urhobo native, Sunday Obruche and razing of Epame and Ayama, two Urhobo communities in the local government area.

Angry Ijaw youths called for the head of Subi for daring to serve Ijaw residents in Udu two-week quite notice, but he did not budge until November 28 when he announced the suspension of the ultimatum at a meeting convened by the state government, presided over by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Festus Agas.

What prompted ultimatum

Subi, who broke his silence on the matter after lifting the ultimatum, told Saturday Vanguard: “Yes, what sparked the quit notice was as a result of the unending killing of Udu people by their very close Ijaw neighbors. We refer to two cases of Mr. Idian 1976 and Velvet Oyibode 2003. This time it is not just the killing of Sunday Obruche by illegal bunkers/refineries operators of Isaba, but they also criminally razed down two Udu communities of Ayama and Epame.”

“This is highly provocative and is condemnable in its entity. The youths felt this is a calculative attempt to eliminate our people and dominate their land. One can recall that since Aladja and Ogbe-Ijaw have been having crisis over land, we never intruded because we felt they are brothers. So we have always advised both parties to use the law court in addressing their issues. Jf you can prove with evidence that you own the said land in dispute in the court and the court rule in your favour, nobody should fight,” he said.

I didn’t discuss ultimatum with Ijaw youth leaders

Asked if he reported or discussed with his fellow Ijaw youth leaders before he issued the controversial 14 day ultimatum, Subi said: “I did not discuss it with them, after the killing of Sunday Obruche, we took the body to the mortuary, the police took statements from us and we thought that was the end. Little did we know that the criminals of Esaba would go and raze down Ayama and Epame communities.”

He asserted: “If you saw how our women were invaded in their own communities, they were naked with nothing on them and they still continued kidnapping people. They abducted Mrs. Baby College from Okwagbe in Ughelli South and her son, Eden College and Mr. and Mrs. Austin Oduara from Ewu also in Ughelli South. Behold, it was just too difficult to bear.”

Subi added: “But one thing the Ijaw, who are our closest neighbor should know about the ultimatum is that we are fully aware that it is not only the Ijaw of Isaba and Ogbe-Ijaw who are resident in Udu, we do not want innocent persons who are not from these two kingdoms to be harassed when the time come for any possible reprisal attack. That was necessary at that time because tension was very high.”

No plan to hijack Ijaw property

“So we want them to leave for the time being because our laziness was to be shown, if our boys were to revenge, they cannot identify who is Ijaw from Isaba or Ogbe-Ijoh like the Isaba and Ogbe-Ijoh could not identify Mr. and Mrs. Austin Oduara and Mrs. College and son,” he said.

He denied that Udu people wanted to hijack property of Ijaw people, saying: “It was also not true as it was reported in the media that the plot was to take over their properties in Udu. All properties were to be protected. Udu has always been protected and their tenants given peace.”

Nobody can call for my head

On the demand for his head, he asserted: “Nobody can call for my head; I am duly elected to protect and defend my people at all time. Since I am for justice, I am not perturbed of any threat because I stand for the truth, which some of the reasonable Ijaw leaders have confirmed.”

“Urhobo man killing Ijaw or Ijaw killing Urhobo must be condemned by all having known our closeness and long relationship. The Ijaw, Urhobo and Isoko are the closest ethnic nations in Nigeria,” Subi added.

Gentleness is not cowardice

Speaking on his antecedents before now, he said: “I am a human being, I have feeling, I am a peace loving person. If you ask of my record, I do not believe in trouble. Before this position, I have held other positions. I was the Auditor to Udu Youths during the tenure of Mr. Vincent Oyibode. I was the president general of Emadadja community, the highest oil producing community in Udu. In politics, I have also held the post of PDP, Ward 4 chairman and I just handed over. Being peaceful should not be taken for cowardice.

How peace came

He said: “Peace prevailed with the intervention of our Udu elders/leaders and some prominent Ijaw leaders, most especially the leader of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, Mr. Godwin Okporoko, SSA to the Governor on Intelligent Gathering, Mr. Smart Asekutu, UPU president general, Chief Joe Omene, National Youth Leader of the UPU, Mr Igho Ovie and my leader, Vincent Oyibode.”

“The intervention of the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa cooled down the mind of the youths, most especially when he directed his team, led by the SSG, Barrister Festus Agas, who visited the two communities burnt down. We are grateful to all, especially His Excellency,” he said.

Peace accord

On the current state of things over the burning of two Urhobo communities, he said: “The issues between Ayama, Epame and Isaba are in the process of resolution. The parties have signed a peace accord. The communities were living together in peace before oil bunkering and criminal act that Isaba committed that almost caused ethnic war.”

“The state governor is putting in place some modalities to finalize the issue. I can assure you that our boys have shielded their swords, but be informed that our people who go to farm after the peace accord has been signed said they saw Isaba boys with guns and they managed to escape.

“I wish to use this medium to call on the state governor, Senator Okowa to call the leadership of Isaba and Ijaw to order because it will not be tolerated if any harm is done to our people again, there will be no need for any ultimatum. I also call on well- meaning Ijaw leaders to advise them because nobody has the monopoly of violence.

Kidnap of Urhobo natives is real

Asked if Ijaw actually kidnapped the persons alleged by Urhobo, as they have denied the act until date, he said: “The issue of the kidnap of Mr/Mrs. Austin Oduara, Mrs. College and her son, Ediri, is not a matter of allegation, it is a reality. The children of Oduara are with a lady, who sells local food within Udu Road. The family is in a confused state right now.”

“The Ewu people are already demanding for their people and we have also informed the governor. He (governor) said the issue will be investigated by the law enforcement agency. Urhobo did not abduct any person; they only lied with fictitious names that do not exist. As brothers, we must tell ourselves the truth, this will help us live peacefully with one another.

“One thing I must say here is that the Ijaw National Congress (INC) failed to condemn the attack on Ayama and Epame that was carried out by Ijaw oil bunkerers of Isaba, but rather, they were talking of land issue. They should emulate Chief Edwin Clark, who stood for truth and condemned the act that was carried out by these illegal oil bunkerers of Isaba and the killing of Sunday Obruche That was what calmed the minds and tension of the Udu youths, only truth can bring peace to any community,” he said.