Edwin Clark, prominent Ijaw leader, has stated that Niger Delta Militants are the Ijaw People’s children and the Ijaw elders cannot watch while the militants are being attacked.
He stated that any dialogue between the Federal Government and militants in the Niger Delta region would not yield results without the involvement of Ijaw elders.
Clark said this in Warri on Saturday during a consultative council meeting.
The meeting, which had in attendance Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa governor, and Kingsley Otuaro, Delta deputy governor, was aimed at reaching common ground on the renewed militancy and its impact in the Niger Delta and Nigeria.
“In 2008 and 2009 similar incident happened and Gbaramatu was affected. We elders and leaders intervened and we got amnesty,” he said.
“Today we hear that federal government is planning, already talking or negotiating with militants and nobody has consulted us.
“That will not work. These children are our children and we cannot fold our hands when they are being attacked and pretend not to notice.
“We must be involved in what government wants to do.”
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