Delta seeks leaders' support for recovery of arms
From Sunny Ogefere, Asaba
AGAIN, the Delta State government has appealed to leaders of the warring ethnic groups in Warri and its environs to help it recover arms from the restive youths.
At a stakeholders' meeting on achieving enduring peace in the Niger Delta in Asaba yesterday, Governor James Ibori accused the leaders of conniving with youths to hide warehouses where arms are kept.
Represented by the Commissioner for Inter-Ethnic Relations and Conflict Resolutions, Mr. Ovuzourie Macaulay, Ibori reiterated the need for those who invested in arms to sacrifice such for lasting peace in the state.
The three ethnic groups in the area Urhobo, Itsekiri and Ijaw attended the forum.
Ibori said: "In the case of the Warri crisis, I stand to be corrected and I have no doubt in my mind that even our leaders are quite aware of where these arms are stored".
He declared that peace would be elusive in Warri without first recovering the arms in circulation.
"Whatever the government or anyone is doing to bring peace to Warri, would amount to postponing the evil day because when a man has a rifle in the bedroom, the temptation to use it is always there.
"If we are sincere in our drive to achieve peace, let us give up these arms. If we are all sincere, particularly our leaders, we should begin to impress it on our youths to give up the arms," he added.
The governor said that it would be in the interest of all of us for anyone that has invested in these arms to consider the long-term benefits of surrendering the arms and give them up to government.
On the recent ward creation and delineation by the State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), the governor said that it was part of the government's efforts to respond to the yearnings of the people.
He enjoined those with different views to use constitutional means to seek redress instead of resorting to violence.
Ibori observed that the differences in the area stemmed from the inadequate and absence of direct and unfettered exchange of frank ideas among the various ethnic groups in the region.
He reminded them that peace is a catalyst for development hence a ministry on conflict resolution was created.
The governor asserted that there was no fundamentally irreconcilable differences among the people of Niger Delta.
"The friction that erupt from time to time often stem from impatience, disrespect for, or absence of secured avenues of communication without discounting the role of disgruntled elements who, unfortunately, benefit from chaos and anarchy," Ibori said.
He praised the Academic Associates Peace Works (AAPW), Abuja for helping to work for peace in the Niger Delta.
