IYC Reacts To Itsekiri Youth’s Threat To ‘Cause’ Anarchy Over Name Of Maritime Varsity

Ijaw Youths Council, (IYC) has reacted to an advertorial by Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), which threatened that if the name of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko is not changed to Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenghigho, there may be anarchy in Nigeria.

IYC’s President, Eric Omare in a statement on Friday said that such threat capable of throwing the ethnic groups into confronting each other must be investigated and the alarmist brought to justice for threatening the peace of the Niger Delta region.

The statement read in part: “Our attention has just been drawn to a statement issued by one Esimaje Awani on behalf of the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in the Vanguard newspaper of Friday November 10, 2017 to the effect that if the name of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko is not changed to Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenghigho, there may be anarchy in Nigeria.

The Ijaw Youth Council wishes to respond as follows:

“That we call on the appropriate authorities to completely disregard the unnecessary alarm raised by Mr. Awani as the claim is baseless without any foundation.

“The land wherein the maritime university is sited is an Ijaw community owned by the Gbaramatu people and also the people of the Niger Delta are excited by the prospect of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko starting academic activities soon.

“The maritime University, Okerenkoko is going to be of benefit to all Nigerians especially Niger Deltans and Deltans in particular; hence there is no basis for the threat.

“We call on people in the class of Mr. Awani who are aggrieved by the name of Okerenkoko to seek remedy in the appropriate place. It amounts to taking laws into ones hand for a section of people to threaten anarchy because of the name of an institution. Since Mr. Awani and his co-travellers are relying on court judgment, they should also know what to do in the circumstances.

“We invite the security agencies to take note of the threat to peace and security in the Niger Delta region by Mr. Esimaje Awani and their sponsors and we urge that proactive steps be taken to bring such persons to justice.

“The Ijaw people are peace loving and are eagerly waiting for academic activities to start in earnest in the Maritime University. However, people like Mr. Awani who has threatened anarchy should be invited and brought to justice for threatening the peace of the Niger Delta region”.