IYC condemns military invasion of #Delta community - Punch

The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, has condemned the military invasion of Oporoza, the headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The military had stormed the area on Saturday with about five military gunboats in search of an ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

The IYC, in a statement on Sunday by its spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, frowned on the siege, noting that since the invasion, no person had been allowed to move in and out of Oporoza community.


The group said on Saturday evening, a 40 Horsepower speedboat which came to rescue residents in serious medical condition was attacked by the military, claiming that the state of the persons inside the boat was still unknown.

The group said, “The people of Oporoza are now in a state of famine and even those that were brutalised cannot get access to medical care. If urgent steps are not taken, there may be massive deaths arising from the famine and brutalisation.

“The IYC strongly condemns this display of brutalisation of innocent residents of Oporoza community.”

The IYC, therefore, called on Nigerians and the international community to urgently prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to order the military to vacate Oporoza for the residents to have access to medical care and foods in order to avoid a humanitarian crisis.