PORT-HARCOURT- The Nigeria Police has declared some Ijaw Youths who are members of a group known as Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) wanted in connection with a recent violent clash between the group and the police in Boma, and Diobu Water Front areas in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to the police, the wanted persons who were the ring leaders of the group who demonstrated over what they called marginalisation of the Ijaw are Nkpabio Jonathan, Ejemere Amaechi, Chibuzo Oshevere.
They are to explain their level of involvement in the clash between the police and members of the group (IYC).
The police statement further stated that during the clash, many innocent persons including some policemen lost their lives while several other persons sustained severe injuries.
The police has therefore advised members of the public with useful information as to the where about of these wanted persons to report to the nearest police station.
According to the statement these persons are to face prosecution for illegal demonstration.
It will be recalled that some Ijaw youths were also declared wanted by the police during the fight that claimed the lives of both police and some youths in Diobu area in 2006 and 2007.
They were Ojerome Ofure, Orobosa James, Ofure Chibueke, Pascal Dipreiye and John Okon.
The police spokesman, DSP Charles Asiegbu told newsmen that Orobosa James and Ofure Chibueke escaped in October 2006 as they were being transported from a detention facility in PortHarcourt City to another facility in Ogoni land, when their vehicle was attacked by a group of demonstrators who were sympathetic to their cause.
The police stated that these wanted persons are peace men.
Some members of the youth council said that they are only fighting for basic amenities and a better life for their people in the Niger Delta region and that government was only making things difficult, and that they are peace loving people.
The wanted persons whose whereabout is still unknown where said to have carried out violent demonstration during which many persons also lost their lives.
The police in its recent statement also reiterated that these persons are also to be prosecuted for lost of lives of many people.
However, the crisis which had trailed the struggle for compensation to Ijaw Youths by oil company for the use of their natural endowment has been on for several years.
According to the Police Image Maker, they believed that Orobosa James and Ofurre Chibueke who were the arrow head of the previous fracas were also fingered in the recent one even if they have not been seen since the 2006 crisis.
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