IPF debunks Vanguard report alleging Ijaw youth to have kill military men in Delta, demands retraction, apology within 48hours

By Peters Monday, Abuja

Press statement

16th March, 2024

IT WAS NOT IJAW THAT ATTACK MILITARY PERSONNEL IN DELTA, VERIFY YOUR NEWS BEFORE PUBLISHING -IPF

•VANGUARD SHOULD RETRACT AND APOLOGISE TO IJAW WITHIN 48 HOURS

The attention of the Ijaw Publishers Forum, IPF, has been drawn to a mischievous news making the round that it was Ijaw irate youth that attack and kill military men in Okuama community in Ughelli South local government area.

Ordinarily, we shouldn’t have responded but it has become necessary to refute the falsehood owing to the that fact the story is coming from the revered Vanguard Newspaper.

We wish to state unequivocally that it was not Ijaw that attack the military men in Delta state, and the Okuama community where the incident took place is an Urhobo speaking community in Ughelli South local government and not an Ijaw community, not in Bomadi Local Government Area.

This is a fact that the military on ground is aware off, but twisting facts by such respected paper is not only disappointing, but one could say that Vanguard is conniving with certain characters to malign Ijaw nation.

This misplacement of fact coming from a major main-stream newspaper is highly disturbing, and such could not give good image about the newspaper.

The report which was authored by one Kingsley Omonobi in Vanguard Newspaper should be disregarded and ignored, it was a complete misplacement of fact and was intending to damage Ijaw hard earned reputation, and to make the military turn against Ijaw people for what they know nothing about.

However, we wish to reiterate that Ijaw in Delta state and Nigeria do not have any fight with the Nigerian military and never any time resorted to killing of Nigerian military for doing their legitimate duty.

On this note, we call on vanguard newspaper, to make retraction and public apology for the Ijaws in Delta state and Niger Nigeria at large within 48 hours for the damage the said report may have caused.

Signed
Comrade Ozobo Austin
National president Ijaw Publishers’Forum, IPF.

Mr Tare Magbei,
Secretary-General