The military has locked down Boro Town, the country home of the late
Ijaw freedom fighter, Isaac Adaka Boro, in Kiama, Kolokuma-Opokuma local
government area of Bayelsa State, following threats by a group of
militants to declare the Republic of Niger Delta.
The militant
group, Adaka Boro Avengers (ABA), had earlier said it would declare the
Niger Delta Republic and open the headquarters of the republic in
Kaiama.
The massive presence of the military, it was gathered, forced the militants to cancel the planned declaration.
The
Niger Delta Republic was first declared on February 23, 1966 by a group
of armed militia, Ijaw Volunteer Force (IVF) led by the late Boro who
battled the Federal Government and demanding a fair share of the oil
money.
Despite the gallantry of Boro and his group, the firepower
of federal forces easily routed, arrested and jailed the militants for
treason.But the administration of Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) granted Boro amnesty
on the eve of the Nigerian civil war in May 1967, enlisted him in the
Nigerian Army as a Major where he fought on the side of the government
but was killed in mysterious circumstances in active service in 1968.
On
December 11, 1998, Ijaw people representing over 40 Ijaw clans, also
gathered at the historic town of Kaiama to advance their agitation and
articulate their aspirations for Ijaw people.
They founded the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) after adopting the famous Kaiama Declaration.
Our
correspondent gathered that following threats by the ABA to repeat what
the late Boro later renounced, the military in a joint operation with
the Department of State Service (DSS), the police and the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) stormed the community at the
weekend.
A number of security operatives have reportedly taken strategic positions in different parts of the community.
Source:Today.ng
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