By Deborah Sunday, Port Harcourt
The Ijaw Youth Council has said the indefinite suspension of its Secretary General, Mr. Maobuye Nangi Obu, was due to his alleged role in the attacks that led to the killing of some Ijaw youths during Saturday’s Eastern Zonal elections in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Reports said up to a dozen youths were gunned down or hacked to death during the botched IYC election, where many also sustained varying degrees of injuries.
It said intelligence reports indicated that Nangi Maobuye played a critical role in inciting the violence that disrupted the democratic process, culminating in significant loss of lives and property.
The decision was taken at the council expanded National Executive Council meeting on Sunday, in Port Harcourt. It was signed by Comrade Jonathan Lokpobiri Snr, President; Freedom Atigbi, Deputy President; Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, National Spokesman, and executive members of the zonal councils.
The communique said Maobuye’s actions caused the entire IYC leadership to be held hostage by gunmen, thereby painting the Council in a bad light.
It said as a responsible organization, it could not fold its arms and allow a member to consistently sabotage the progress of the Council and Ijaw nation through deliberate actions that had brought division, shame, and avoidable deaths to Ijaw youths.
The body said witnesses claimed the now-suspended secretary general was actively engaged in confrontational actions against the President of the Council and the Chairman of the Zonal Electoral Committee (Zeco), further exacerbating an already tense situation.
It said the Council would transmit the resolution to its Parliament for appropriate further actions.
The Council also expressed profound sorrow and extended its condolences to His Royal Majesty, Brig.-Gen. Bright Ateke Fiboinumama (rtd), the Obeomomuodo 1 of Abuloma Clan, as well as to the immediate families of those who fell victim to the tragic and unprovoked violence during the zonal elections.
It said the deeply distressing incident resulted in the unwarranted deaths of numerous Ijaw youths with injuries to many more residents within the Abuloma community.
The communique urged the general public, institutions, and individuals to desist from any further dealings with Maobuye, warning that anybody who does any transaction or dealings with him in the name of IYC does so at his or her own risk.
