Stop vendetta, no militant camp in Inikorogha -Olu Derimo tells Obaseki’s aide God’stime

Following the recent alleged invasion of suspected militants camp in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State, a community youth leader and IYC scribe Comrade Omaghomi Olu-Derimon has said that the report making round that there was militants camp in Inikorogha community in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state was not true.

This was contained in an exclusive interview the IYC scribe had with Congress newspaper in Warri, Delta state on Thursday evening at about 5 pm.

Comrade Derimo in the interview advised the warring groups to sheath the sword and seek dialogue to address their differences.

The Ijaw youth leader also advised the Senior Special Assistant to Edo State government Gen. Godstime Ogidigba to stop the vendetta and pursue the true cause of Ijaws in Edo state.

The statement read partly: “There is no truth about the report that says there are militant camps in Olodiama kingdom. There is no militant camp in Olodiama kingdom to have been allegedly invaded by God’stime Ogidigba, SSA to Governor Obaseki and his boys.

“The Obaseki SSA Godstime is fighting a supremacy fight with Gen Robert Okubo in Inikorogha community. All boiled down to the Timber business in Okomu forest. They felt Okubo is benefiting much from it and they want to stop him, so God’stime and his crew could take control.

“I advise God’stime to mend the fence with whoever he felt may have offended him, and stop vendetta. Edo Ijaws can’t be divided by small appointments. let’s find ways to manage our differences. He that comes to equity, must come with clean hands. Okubo has his faults, we know he is not a perfect man, equally others fighting him have their faults. I don’t think God’stime is SSA on waterways. Some of his activities should be checkmated. The only SSA on waterways and surveillance I know is one Omokachi Perelade.

“The Okomu forest belongs to Ijaw people and we are suppose to protect it for future use. It’s a reserve forest hence nobody is allowed to have access.

“I don’t support the shooting that took place on Tuesday in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo state. I described it as barbaric and uncalled for. I was surprised to hear that Inikorogha’s peaceful community was invaded by over 50boys led by God’stime, SSA to Obaseki of Edo State. They lied that they went to disarm disbanded vigilante members in the community. Even at that, that is not God’stime’s duty as a civilian and a political appointee. Such moves should be a business of the security operatives and should be authorized by the State Government.

“I saw a video where a large number of boys numbering over 50, parading and singing war songs with arms invaded Inikorogha peaceful community, causing tension in the area. This is uncalled for. What is the goal they want to achieve? They should use their appointments to attract development to our communities and not to use them to invite death and sorrow to us. The orchestrated move by God’stime to invade the Inikorogha community in an alleged search for disbanded vigilante is highly condemnable. It could heat the polity if not timely checked. I saw the father of God’stime condemning the activities of his son on ITV on Wednesday afternoon last week.

“I urge the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki to be neutral and call both parties to order and ensure that he addresses whatever is causing these attacks.

“I also call on Ijaw leaders in Edo State, inclusive of the king of Olodiama, Engineer Pius Donyegha, Chief Robinson Ogunkoro chairman INC western zone and Chief Honesty to prevail and address the avoidable conflict before it snowballs to more dangerous dimensions,” he stressed.