NIGER Delta activist, Annkio Briggs, has tackled former warlord from the region, Alhaji Asari Dokubo over claims by the latter that the entire Kalabari kingdom is within the scope of Biafra.

She described the postulations by Asari who is also the leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Front, NDPVF as trivial and unacceptable saying, “My freedom is not tied to the word Biafra.”

Annkio Briggs in a statement while addressing the postulations of the ex-warlord who she described as her younger brother, said: “Asari we have a greater fight ahead let’s concentrate on our victory.

“It is true and a fact that many riverine people across the breadth and length of Kalabari kingdom have Igbo lineage, I cannot tell another person’s story for them without their permission and l will never allow another person to tell my story either.

“The Portuguese and British or any other oppressive invaders did us Ijaws and the people of the geographical location today known as either Niger Delta or South-South a great injustice, what is happening today is as a result of that evil.

“Our freedom is our ethnic identity and our ethnic identity is Kalabari Ijaw, not Biafra.

“If we want to change our identity, it will be a collective decision when we are free. Whether we work with others or not we will decide it after high-level discussions where the terms and conditions will be signed and sealed.

“You cannot restore what does not exist as the eastern region was defunct the day Rivers State was created. Nigeria was the northern region, western region & eastern region, whose idea was it not to create southern Nigeria and why? This was to keep us from our wealth and freedom.”  (SOURCE: VANGUARD)