Controversy over spillage in Chevron’s Abiteye/Utonana Oil Fields heightens as INYC places its organs on red alert

As the controversy between Gbaramatu Ijaws and their Itsekiri neighbours heightens over Chevron’s planned Joint Investigation Verification, JIV, to the ascertain the cause of the crude oil spill that recently occurred at the company’s Abiteye and Utonana Fields in Warri South and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of Delta State, the Itsekiri National Youths Council, INYC, has placed its, “critical organs on red alert to match word with word, action with action and force with force”, in response to reported threats by some Gbaramatu youths to prevent the Oil and Gas Major from involving its Itsekiri host Communities in the JIV.

President of INYC, Comrade Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, in a statement made available to Fresh Angle International this afternoon, Thursday April 15, through his Special Adviser on Deghele Declaration, Henry Babine, noted: The Itsekiri National Youth council is taken aback with the violent and hostile behaviour of the Ijaws of Gbaramatu in Abiteye and other neighboring Itsekiri communities over the oil spillage from Chevron. 

“We wish to call on the Federal and State Governments not to shirk their responsibilities of protection of lives and property of citizens of Nigeria and the Itsekiris in this particular instance, because the Ijaws do not have the monopoly of violence.  

“If the government fail in this regards, we would be forced to defend our people against the Ijaw aggression.

“To our Ijaw brothers, we hope they would not bite more than they can chew, because if they do, they would have us to contend with.

“We would return every act of aggression, threats or war in double fold. I hope that is not what they are praying for. A stitch in time save nine”.

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