Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM), has called on security agencies to arrest prominent Ijaw leaders over alleged threats to disrupt oil production if Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara is eventually impeached.
The Port Harcourt-based group which made the call, accused former militant leader, Asari Dokubo, and the President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, of allegedly threatening the Nigerian state.
The group’s Director-General, Mr. Johnson Georgewill made the call in a statement issued on Friday.
Georgewill also accused the National Publicity Secretary of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, of making violent threats should Fubara be removed from office.
According to him, the statements attributed to the figures were reckless, thoughtless, and provocative, posing a significant threat to national security and peaceful co-existence.
“As a group that stands for peace, justice, and a united Nigeria, we believe that no individual or organisation has a monopoly on violence.
“Therefore, we call on security agencies to arrest Dokubo, Okaba, and Sara-Igbe, as well as any other individual or group that threatens the Nigerian State, its economy, or its people,” he stated.
He questioned whether those making the threats to sabotage the nation’s economy considered themselves more Ijaw than the nine Ijaw lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
He also criticised the Ijaw leaders for not speaking up for the nine lawmakers, who, he alleged that had been maltreated, humiliated, and denied their allowances by Fubara for over a year.
The leader further accused the Fubara-led administration of depriving the legislators of their entitlements, in spite of any court ruling declaring their seats vacant.
“Nigeria operates a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law.
“The Supreme Court being the highest court in the land has already given its ruling, and Gov. Fubara is bound to comply with its decision,” Georgewill asserted.
He urged the public to disregard what he described as ‘’baseless and ineffective threats,’’ stressing that the nation’s laws remained supreme.