IYC Calls on Tinubu, Defence Minister to Stop Alleged Movement of Vessel Linked to Kula Boat Tragedy
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of Defence and the Nigerian Military High Command to intervene in the alleged attempt by a company linked to the Kula boat tragedy to use military personnel to forcefully move a vessel involved in the incident, which claimed seven lives.
The council also urged the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to immediately launch an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and subsequent developments, warning that any attempt to intimidate the bereaved families or move the vessel before investigations are concluded could escalate tensions in the affected communities.
In a statement signed by its National Spokesman, Comr Victor Ibaningo, the IYC expressed concern over reports that the company whose crude oil vessel and associated tugboats were involved in the incident was allegedly attempting to deploy the Nigerian Army to facilitate the movement of the vessel without addressing the demands of the victims’ families.
The council disclosed that the tragedy claimed the life of the younger brother of its Eastern Zone Chairman, Amb. Prince Datolu Sukubo, alongside six other persons, leaving their families to contend with the consequences of the loss.
According to the statement, the alleged attempt to involve the military rather than address the grievances of the affected families was unacceptable and constituted a threat to the dignity and rights of the bereaved families and the entire Kula Kingdom.
IYC Warns Military Against Intimidating Bereaved Families
The IYC called on the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Military High Command to intervene immediately and ensure that military personnel are not deployed to intimidate grieving families or suppress the legitimate concerns of the host communities.
The council maintained that the Nigerian Armed Forces were established to protect the country and its citizens, not to advance corporate interests at the expense of human lives.
It urged the military to uphold its constitutional responsibilities, neutrality and professionalism by staying out of matters that require justice, accountability and due process.
The IYC also called on the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to commence a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the Kula boat tragedy and subsequent developments involving the vessel.
It said the police must establish the facts, identify those responsible and prevent any attempt to obstruct the course of justice.
Council Warns of Possible Escalation
The council warned that continued disregard for the grievances of the bereaved families, particularly any attempt to use security agencies to forcefully move the vessel, could trigger serious tensions with potentially difficult consequences.
It therefore urged the relevant authorities to act promptly to prevent the situation from escalating into a crisis.
The IYC further appealed to President Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to direct the relevant authorities to protect the affected families, ensure accountability and prevent corporate interests from taking precedence over the rights of Nigerian citizens.
The council stressed that it would not allow the deaths of seven persons to be treated as an insignificant incident while the interests of a corporate organisation were prioritised over human lives.
It also vowed that the tragedy would not be allowed to go unaddressed, adding that it was prepared to deploy every legitimate and lawful means to defend the rights of the affected people and pursue justice.
IYC Invokes Ijaw Ancestral Heritage
In a strongly worded position, the council said it was prepared to invoke the sacred heritage, ancestral consciousness and spiritual guardianship of the Ijaw Nation in its pursuit of justice for the victims.
The IYC declared that it would resist any attempt to intimidate the affected communities, frustrate investigations or undermine the quest for accountability through legitimate means.
It further insisted that the crude oil vessel and the two tugboats involved in the incident must not be forcefully moved or removed from the reach of investigating authorities before the necessary investigations and legal processes have been concluded.
IYC Lists Five Demands Over Kula Boat Tragedy
The council outlined five demands, which it said must be addressed by the Federal Government, security agencies and other relevant authorities.
1. Military neutrality: The immediate intervention of the Minister of Defence and the Military High Command to prevent the alleged misuse of military personnel in the movement of the vessel or intimidation of the affected communities.
2. Independent investigation: A speedy and transparent investigation by the Rivers State Police Command and other relevant authorities, leading to the identification and prosecution of all persons found culpable.
3. Adequate compensation: Appropriate and commensurate compensation for the families of the seven deceased victims.
4. Preservation of evidence: The crude oil vessel and the two tugboats must remain secured pending the conclusion of investigations and relevant legal processes.
5. Protection of victims’ families: An immediate end to all forms of intimidation, harassment and corporate oppression against the bereaved families and residents of Kula Kingdom.
The council also reminded the Federal Government, the Nigerian military and corporate organisations operating in the Niger Delta that sustainable peace could not be achieved where communities were denied justice and human lives were treated with disregard.
While describing the Ijaw people as peace-loving, the IYC warned that their peaceful disposition should not be mistaken for weakness or an unwillingness to defend their collective dignity, heritage and fundamental rights.
Also Read: IYC Demands Immediate Establishment of RISOPADEC Board in Rivers
The statement concluded with the declaration: “EVERY LIFE MATTERS, AND SO DOES THE LIFE OF AN IJAW PERSON.”
It added that justice must prevail over intimidation, human dignity over corporate interests, and accountability over impunity, reaffirming the council’s determination to ensure that the seven victims and their families receive justice.
The statement was signed by Comr Victor Ibaningo, National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.
