The latest ethnic violence between the Ijaw and Itsekiri was yesterday resolved at a stakeholders' forum hosted in Warri by Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.
The leaders of the two feuding groups agreed to sheathe their swords.
The meeting was also attended by the Commanding Officer, 4 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Koko, Brig-Gen. Patrick Ake; Commanding Officer, Nigerian Navy, NNS Delta, Commodore Mohammed Garba; the state Commissioner of Police and Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, among others.
One of the spokesmen of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, Hon. Michael Diden, narrated a grim picture of the incident, adding that there was an assurance of a recurrence if the issues involved were not resolved.
Diden, the commissioner representing the Itsekiri ethnic nationality in the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), added: "The situation is very serious; if not tackled it will reoccur and reoccur. It is not a political struggle, it was orchestrated to steal oil and break pipelines.
"If the perpetrators are not brought to book, then the issue may continue. Lack of enough logistics and funding necessitated the Navy's delay in moving in to quell the skirmish."
Also speaking on behalf of the Itsekiri nation, the Akulagba of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayiri Emami, said the crisis was ignited principally to further pave the way for perpetuation of illegal oil deals.
He said the crisis had no connecting with the agitation for political involvement by the Ijaw of Warri North Local Government Area of the state.
Ayirimi also accused the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shields, of not acting swiftly to nip the crisis in the bud.
He said that the violence, which rocked the villages of Ugbokoda, Ajanitan, Ebrohimi, Orija and Ewhoroh, among others, was not caused by any political agitation, but a criminal activity of a few hoodlums, whom he said, were still taking cover within Egbema Kingdom.
Ayirimi warned that the crisis would persist unless the masterminds were apprehended to face justice, adding that the incident left no fewer than 15 houses razed at his Ugborodo community while many of the natives were still being resettled.
The Ijaw representative, Mr. Ezekiel Akpasebowei, said the action of the Ijaw gunmen was unfortunate, lamenting that the Ijaws were afraid to return to their homes as a result of the onslaught of the criminals.
He said the Ijaw were against the criminals.
National Mirror