Ijaw Communities in Edo Kick against Plot to Withdraw Security Personnel

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

Ijaw communities in Inikorogha, Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, yesterday  staged a peaceful protest against what they described as plans by some powerful individuals to withdraw the  security personnel who have been maintaining peace in the locality.

The protesters, who came out in their numbers, carried different placards with various inscription such as “Come to our Aid Mr Governor”, We Need Peace to do Our Business in Inikorogha”, Armed Robbers Come Here to Rape & Rob Our Wives and Women”, among others.

The protesters commended the state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki for ensuring that peace and security prevail in Inikorogha and also linking communities through road construction. 

Addressing journalists, Chairman,  Inikorogha community, Friday Benson, appealed to Obaseki to see to the extension and increase of security presence in the community. 

“What we are saying in essence is that nobody should truncate the effort of the governor by the planned removal of security from our communities. There is a great improvement of security in the last one year and a half. We thank the governor for providing the needed security.”

According to Benson, “Prior to now, evil attacks were meted on our community but today we have strong presence of security with the deployment of special forces at Mile 3. Their presence has checkmated insecurity being perpetrated on our land by some unscrupulous elements.”

Also expressing worry over information to remove the special forces providing security in the areas, Chairman of Elders Council in the area, Philip Polo, called for more deployment of security just as he thanked Governor Godwin Obaseki for his effort in road construction in Inikorogha.

“We want to first of all thank Governor Obaseki, he has performed well in terms of infrastructure but sadly that gave birth to some unscrupulous criminals that has made Inikorogha inhabitable, perpetrated by some militants who came through the rivers.

“But when security came everybody was relieved. The situation now is that these same people are trying to pull the strings from behind. We have information that they are trying to see to the withdrawal of the special forces responsible for peace.”