ITSEKIRI DEMANDS COMPENSATION FROM NIGERIAN GOVT OVER 7-YEAR WAR

The Itsekiri ethnic group has demanded compensation for the destruction of their communities and death of an estimated 2,000 of their kinsmen during the 7-year Warri crisis.

Mr. Newuwumi Omolubi (JP), President of Iwere Development Association (IDA), an umbrella group for the ethnic group, made the call.

Speaking against the background of the 5th anniversary of the end of the fratricidal war between the ethnic group and its stronger Ijaw neighbours, Newuwumi, said the Federal Government had consistently neglected the plight of his people because of their minority position.

He wondered why his kinsmen have not been compensated for the deaths and destruction of hundreds of their communities at the heat of the crisis that was sparked off by Federal Government’s relocated of a local government headquarter from an Ijaw town to an Itsekiri community.

Similarly, he said Itsekiri’s disposition as peaceful ethnic group was constantly being exploited by successive governments.

Asked if he thought government was taking his people for granted because of docility, he said, “It is true that because we do not go out to foment trouble that is why we are not being responded to timely.

‘The government of Nigeria believe in violence, government of Nigeria recognise agitation, they believe in agitation, believe in force this will take you to the fact that we are inn minority.

“We have a natural their problem, which is our population; we are in a minority position. But we would always cry until we are answered, until we are responded to. We believe that we are supposed to be compensated after the war. If it is not possible today, I think one day we will be compensated.”

In the same vain, Newuwumi, who is also the Vice President of the Itsekiri National Youth Association, lambasted his kinsmen, particularly those in public office, who he said have refused to identify with the problem of the ethnic nation.

Hear him, “Itsekiri as a people, I think we have a common problem because we never remember ourselves when we are in position of authority, we never think of yesterday.

“When we have problems those that are supposed to rally round never see the problem as theirs. They think others should be responsible and not them. In a nutshell, they do not know that they are supposed to do at the right time. Its not only on the Itsekiri or Warri crisis, it is a general problem,” he added.

Nevertheless, he commended the Warri Community in United Kingdom and Ireland, which recently gave out scholarship to children and relatives of the victims of the Warri crisis.

Newuwumi said, “It is better late than never: we have to start from somewhere. It is a takeoff point and an encouragement to other Itsekiri groups to come up with programmes to encourage those who are disfigured and their loved ones left behind.

“The deaths of those persons were untimely because they did not plan it and they did not know it would be like that. So their loved ones should be assisted; some of them still have parents, we can’t abandon them.