The Ijaw Publishers Forum, (IPF), has refuted a news report purportedly linking youths of Ijaw extraction to the killings of sixteen military men in Okuama Community, Ughelli South Local Government area of Delta State.
The forum also issued a 24-hour ultimatum for the newspaper (not LEADERSHIP), to retract what it called a false publication, and tender unreserved apologies.
IPF in a statement jointly signed by Comrade Ozobo Austin and Mr Tare Magbei, its National President and Secretary-General, unequivocally absolved the Ijaw youths on the attack.
The Ijaw group insisted that Okuama community where the incident occurred is an Urhobo-speaking community in Ughelli South Local Government, and not in Bomadi Local Government Area which is an Ijaw speaking community.
“Ordinarily, we shouldn’t have responded, but it has become necessary to refute, it owing to the fact that the story is coming from the revered newspaper.
“This is a fact that the military on ground is aware of. But twisting facts by such respected paper is not only disappointing. But one could say it is conniving with certain characters to malign Ijaw nation.
“This misplacement of fact coming from a major mainstream newspaper is highly disturbing, and such could not give good image about the newspaper.
“The report which was authored by one Kingsley Omonobi in the 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,” the group said.
The IPF reiterated that the Ijaw people in Delta State and Nigeria do not have any grouse with the Nigerian military, and has never any time resorted to killing of Nigerian military for doing their legitimate duty.
“On this note, I call on the newspaper, to make retraction and apologise to the Ijaws in Delta State and Nigeria at large within 24 hours for the damage the said report may have caused,” the group demanded.
