Maobuye Nangi Obu, Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has denied the allegation made by IYC President Jonathan Lokpobiri that he masterminded the violence resulting in 11 deaths during IYC Eastern Zone election in Abuloma.
Clarifying his position on the incident in an interview with our correspondent via telephone, Obu said that he knew nothing about the killings, adding that he has never been involved in violence neither has he recruited people to cause unrest since his involvement in youths activism.
Obu instead attributed the unrest to Lokpobiri’s interference in the election, allegedly fueled by his cousin, Minister of State Petroleum Resources Heineken Lokpobiri, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
He explained that his critical stance against Heineken Lokpobiri’s performance as Minister of State Petroleum Resources and the Eastern Zone’s refusal to support Lokpobiri’s candidate, Asikltams were responsible why the IYC President call him out.
” This whole killings that happened and they said I masterminded it is coming from Jonathan Lokpobiri and his cousin Minister, Heineken Lokpobiri because I and my team have been critical of the Hon. Minister in the past one month.
” So I don’t know anything. I am not a shooter, I have never handled gun before, I am not a cultist, they can find that about me I have led students here in Nigeria and abroad and I have never joined cult before to know me is very easy but go and find out about Jonathan Lokpobiri I have given you his History and antecedent of violence.
” So what are they doing, he is just a drowning man and looking for something with him to drown so that suspension is dead on arrival. Where I am a bit bothered about is that he is going around trying to dent my image because he want to take his pound of flesh because I wes critical of his brother who is not doing well as minister of Petroleum.
” Right now we are calling for the sack of Heineken Lokpobiri on the groundd that whatever monies he gets from that office is to use it to fund his brother come to the Niger Delta to kill people and cause crisis. Heineken Lokpobiri is only interested in becoming the governor of Bayelsa State and not to in the development or interested in answering questions on the lingering challenges we are facing in the people”
When asked about allegations of collecting money on behalf of the IYC from the NDDC, Obu clarifies that he wrote a petition to prevent payment to Lokpobiri’s personal account.
Regarding his suspension by Lokpobiri, Obu maintains that only a national convention can suspend an officer
Obu advises the Ijaw Youth Council to remain peaceful and rebuild, commiserating with families of the victims.
He emphasizes the need for security agencies to investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the violence.
” And a lot of security agencies are not as foolish as we think they know who did what like I said I have opted myself and my phone number is there they should bug it the NCC don’t need to do it behind me they should invite me and I am willing to give my number let them go through it. Get Jonathan Lokpobiri,’s own get the petroleum minister’s own and Wike’s own as well as others people own when the time comes I will give their names who called eho and who are those fanning the embets of war.
” The two brothers, the Lokpobiris are the ones who supervised the deaths in Abuloma. How did the minister get involved because he funded the entire process on behalf of Wike because Wike is not Ijaw and the Hon. Minister Lokpobiri is Ijaw. The Hon. Minister bankroll the whole process through his brother the President that is why he has the effontery to come from Bayelsa to say he is President of Council and that everywhere he comes.”
