The Urhobo Leaders of Thought, ULT, a group of Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Delta State, has accused the Ijaw ethnic group of having an expansionist agenda in the South-South and South-West regions of Nigeria.
Addressing the Press in Warri, Delta State, the Secretary of the group, Alhaji Mumakai Unagaha, said the agenda would cause disunity amongst the people of the region. "This is to raise the alarm of the Ijaw expansionist agenda of claiming or annexing neighbouring communities and villages in the Niger Delta, especially Urhobo.
"They want to claim what does not belong to them. They want to annex Aladja, Okuama, Gbaregolor, and Oboro, in Delta States. They also want to annex or lay claim to villages in Ondo, Lagos and Akwa-Ibom States", Unagaha said.
He stressed that the Urhobo ethnic nationality would neither cede part or parcel of its land to any neighbours under whatever guise nor would the Urhobo forcefully take over anybody's land.
"The Urhobo and the Ijaw have lived together for too long. With the Federal government empowering some of them, they have the resources to overrun the neighbours they have lived with over these years.
"This is very dangerous as these communities are in perpetual fear of possible attack. It is, therefore, my appeal that they should sink their differences for unity, peace and development of the area. "The other ethnic groups in the Niger Delta are sensitive to taking their destiny in their hands. The situation will worsen if the fragile peace in the area is not protected.
"Nigerians should prevail on the Ijaw nation to sheath their swords for peace in the Niger Delta
"The recent killings of soldiers in Okuama would have been avoided if it was well managed. Yes, the unfortunate incident is painful and regrettable
"Finally, I want to sympathize with the military authority and the Nigerian government on the Okuama killings. "The Urhobo Leaders of Thought, again, call for an independent inquiry, not a military inquiry into the Okuama killings because the army cannot be a judge in its court."
