The Ijaw nation, home and abroad, under the aegis of Ijaw Cultural Mandate Group, has called on political leaders, civil society organisations and the international community to prevail on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to halt, what it described as the ongoing assaults on Ijaw leaders in the country, particularly in Bayelsa State, which is regarded as the headquarters of the Ijaw tribe.

The group, in a statement issued by Barrister Nelson Numofogha in Lagos, condemned the increasing rate of harassment of Ijaw leaders, particularly before, during and after the recently concluded governorship election in Bayelsa state, stating that it was within the discretion of the Ijaw people to choose their leaders.

The group’s call is coming on the heels of the raid on the Abuja residence of a first class Bayelsa traditional ruler, King AJ Turner, saying tha if the DSS or any other agency of government had reasons to investigate a person of King Turner’s status, the civil thing would have been a mere invitation, other than the commando manner in which his residence was invaded.

The group further described the ongoing probe and arrest of opposition figures in the country by the Buhari administration as a mere probe of the funding of the last general elections in the country, claiming that any genuine anti-corruption war must be all inclusive and would not by any means, exclude members of the ruling party, many of whom were in the Peoples Democratic Party before now.

The group urged the federal government to consider the likely implications of the assault on the leaders of the Ijaw nation, including former President Goodluck Jonathan which it said was the main target of the Buhari administration.

The group, therefore, called on Nigerians, civil society organisations and the international community, to prevail on President Buhari to desist from such tendencies capable of truncating the peace that had been enjoyed in the Niger Delta region over the last few years, which had, no doubt, contributed to the economic lifeline of the country.

The group vowed to continually expose any politicisation of the probe by the federal government and resist any unjustifiable attack on the Ijaw people and their leaders.

Dailypost…….

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