Ijaw group writes N/Delta govs, demands regional security outfit

THE Niger Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM) has written to the governors of the six Niger Delta states, demanding “urgent establishment of a regional security outfit to checkmate activities of herdsmen in the region.”

In the letter addressed to the chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, the convener of NDSDM, Annkio Briggs, appealed for the urgent convocation of South-South security summit where the people of the region would agree on their own security network that would curtail  herdsmen’s murderous activities

Reacting to the recent attack on Uwheru community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Annkio said whatever is true of Delta people is true of all the South-South people, and that there is absolutely no state in the South-South that is immuned from the rampaging and ravaging killer-herdsmen.

Parts of the statement read: “We can no longer trust the established security agencies to protect our people as they have shown a high level of complicity and sometimes outright connivance with the killer-herdsmen to attack, kill, kidnap, rape, molest and terrorise our people.

“The NDSDM has watched with tepidation the detoriorating security situation across the country with special emphasis as to how that impacts the Niger Delta. Every day, we hear of killer herdsmen attacking peaceful communities.

“We call on the South-South Governors Forum to urgently summon a South-South Security Summit (SSSS) with your brother governors along with the people of Niger Delta to agree on a regional security network that will aid the overstretched security agencies in combating the unacceptable level of insecurities across the Niger Delta.”