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We Do Not Plan To Destabilize Niger Delta-IYC

The Ijaw Youths across the Niger Delta region have reacted that youths in the area do not plan to begin any protest or take any action that will destabilise and disrupt the peace existing in the region.

The Ijaw youths, under the aegis of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), gave the assurance to President Muhammad Buhari and the Defence Headquarters following speculations of breach of peace in the region.

The national IYC spokesman, Mr Ebilade Ekerefe, had in another statement said. However, the Ijaw youths have presented their position after the PIB was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari; it has no intentions of creating a crisis or destabilising the region.

Ekerefe called on the defence headquarters to advise the President to dialogue with Niger Delta youths rather than reactionary.

He stated that the youths are not happy that the present administration refuses to listen to the calls made by the region on various issues, including the setting up a substantive board for the NDDC and the speedy manner the President signed the controversial PIA despite the outright rejection from stakeholders in the region.

The statement read in part, “The defence headquarters should adopt a visionary status of advising the Buhari administration on these contentious issues that may lead to a breach of peace and security rather than been reactionary and issuing threats. The youths are not planning to engage in any protest march or engage in fresh hostilities to destabilise the existing peace in the region we’ve contributed so hard to sustain.”

“For the information of the defence headquarters, Ijaw Youths are more matured and disposed to robust intellectual engagements on issues. However, the military authorities should understand that the Niger Delta youths would not allow the region to fall into the plot to destroy communities as they did in the past.”

“Instead of outrightly encouraging continued dialogue between the region and President Buhari administration, the military is busy issuing statements of threats against an area that has kept faith with peace despite the insurmountable security challenges in the North-East, Benue and Kaduna states.

“The only way out is for the youths to continue to demand town hall meetings with the Honourable Minister and explain why the agreed 10% was reduced to a meagre 3%. Our people deserve to know, and until that process is initiated, we won’t go back on our earlier stand,” he added.

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