The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has issued a warning to the Federal Government over its decision to withhold statutory allocations for Rivers State.
The INC, represented by its President, Professor Benjamin Okaba, demanded that the Federal Government immediately release these funds in line with a court ruling. Okaba expressed this stance during the 10th anniversary celebration of Ijaw Women Connect (IWC) in Warri, Delta State.
This statement follows a recent High Court ruling in Abuja that ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to withhold federal allocations to Rivers State’s local governments due to alleged constitutional violations. Okaba emphasized that if the government continued to deny Rivers State its legal entitlements, the situation could escalate. “If these actions against Governor Siminalayi Fubara persist, the Ijaw nation will respond decisively,” Okaba stated, urging President Bola Tinubu to manage the situation cautiously.
He described the allocation freeze as a direct affront to the Niger Delta and argued it was unconstitutional. Okaba asserted, “If the CBN is used to deny Rivers and, by extension, the Ijaw people their rights, the consequences could be significant.”
Okaba referenced a past warning by the late Alamsiegha, who noted that if Ijaw people were persistently denied access to their resources, they would inevitably resist. He also advised the Ijaw community to remain calm, reassuring them that the judgment would likely not hold long-term.
He further acknowledged Ijaw Women Connect (IWC) for its role in empowering and uniting Ijaw women. The event saw IWC members and leaders praised for their dedication to advocacy and empowerment across the region.
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