The Indigenous Igbo Council (IIC) of Rivers State has strongly refuted recent claims made by the Rivers Ijaw People’s Congress (RIPC) regarding the ethnic composition of the state, calling their assertions “misleading” and “an attempt to rewrite history.”
In a press statement signed by Chimenum Amadi, President of IIC Rivers State, the group condemned what it described as an ongoing effort to diminish the Igbo identity in Rivers State by falsely portraying indigenous Igbo communities as separate ethnic entities.
According to the IIC, the Igbo constitute over 60% of the state’s population, with groups such as Ikwerre, Etche, Asa, Ndoni, Ndoki, Egbema, Ogba, Opobo, and Ekpeye historically and linguistically forming part of the greater Igbo nation. The statement criticized the RIPC for attempting to fragment these communities while simultaneously grouping Ijaw-speaking communities under a single ethnic umbrella.
The IIC accused the Rivers Ijaw Congress of deliberate ethnic manipulation, arguing that while distinct Ijaw groups such as Okrika, Kalabari, and Ibani are recognized as one, the Igbo-speaking communities of Rivers State are being forced into artificial divisions.
“The world should be marveled that a single ethnicity—the Ijaw—has annexed various language groups, including the Edoid, Abua, Odual, and Ogoni, yet they continue to assert that Igbo communities like Ikwerre, Etche, and Ogba are separate ethnic groups,” the statement read.
The council dismissed claims that the Igbo were attempting to expand their influence in Rivers State, instead arguing that it is the Ijaw who are pushing an expansionist agenda. It also pointed out that Igbo people in Rivers State have the right to maintain cultural and ancestral ties with their South-East counterparts, just as the Ijaw do with their kinsmen in Bayelsa, Delta, and Ondo States.
As tensions rise, the IIC issued a stern warning to the Rivers Ijaw Congress, demanding that they stay clear of Igbo affairs in the state and refrain from further efforts to distort the ethnic realities of Rivers. The group also hinted at possible legal action if attempts to malign the identity of Rivers Igbos continue.
In its 10-point declaration, the Indigenous Igbo Council reaffirmed its commitment to Igbo unity, emphasizing that their renewed quest to reconnect with their ancestry is an internal decision made by Rivers Igbo communities, not South-East agitators.
The statement concluded with a call for respect and recognition of historical realities, urging all parties to desist from actions that could fuel ethnic tensions in Rivers State.
