AKWA IBOM, Nigeria – Tensions escalated on Sunday, April 23, 2023 as two militant groups, the Ijaw militants and the Biafra separatists, clashed near the Gulf of Guinea in Nigeria’s territorial waters.
The skirmish took place at Uyenghe, in Mbo Council of Akwa Ibom State. Several militants were injured, but no fatalities have been reported.
According to top sources, Ijaw militants attacked the Black Marine, a militant group allegedly working for the Biafra Nations League (BNL).
It is believed that a former commander of the Black Marine from Bayelsa led the invasion, intending to seize boats and arms belonging to the Biafra separatist militants. In retaliation, two Ijaw militants were injured.
Insiders suggest the attack was an act of betrayal by the former commander, who was previously the second-in-command of the Black Marine.
The motivation behind the attack appears to be an attempt to acquire arms and boats to form a separate group.
BNL National Leader, Princewill Richards, expressed his dismay over the incident to journalists, stating, “I don’t know what the Ijaw militants are fighting for. At least, we know what the Black Marine stands for; these are pirates looking for means of survival.”
The situation underscores the ongoing tensions and conflicts within Nigeria’s territorial waters.
