The Ijaw of Delta State on Thursday raised fresh alarm of alleged plans by the security operatives to raid their communities in search of those responsible for the recent criminal activities in the riverside areas of the Niger Delta.
Specifically, the Ijaw alleged that some communities had been marked out for a military attack for no justifiable reason.
The Ijaw, under the aegis of Warri Ijaw Peace Monitoring Group, it urged the state government to prevail on the security agencies, especially the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Restore Hope to rescind the idea.
The WIPMG said the Ijaw of Delta State knew nothing about the recent development in the region, especially the abduction of the oil workers and disruption of oil exploration activities in the area.
The group in a statement by its Chairman, Chief Patrick Bigha, praised the state Governor, Chief James Ibori, and Delta State House of Assembly, for their role in securing the release of the oil workers, on Monday.
The group said, �No doubt, this has once again revealed their commitment to peace and harmony in the Niger Delta.
We saw their relentless effort in preventing a spill over of the crises to the state (Delta) and want to encourage them (the state government) to ensure that nothing should happen to the state as rumours are making the round that some communities in Delta State has been marked for a military attack for what they know nothing about.�
The WIPMG warned that the planned military raids, if eventually carried out, could lead to renewed crisis in the state.
It alleged that the Nigerian Navy had embarked on forcible recruitment of drivers of speed boats as a prelude to the military operation.
�We want to advise the Delta State Government to immediately prevail upon he Nigerian Navy to prevent anything like crisis in the state, particularly Warri river as information reaching us indicate that there is an harassment of drivers of speedboats and their passengers at the port jetty.