There is palpable tension in the Niger Delta region as the one month ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to constitute a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission expires today.
The Ijaw Youth Council, apex body of all Ijaw youths across the globe had given the President Muhammadu Buhari led government, as well as Senator Godswill Akpabio to institute a board before May 26th.
The Peter Timothy Igbifa led IYC also promised a a mother of all protest march across the region if the ultimatum was not met.
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Stating the ultimatum on April 26 in Port Harcourt, Peter Igbifa had said;
“Council has resolved that we are giving the Federal Government, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, one month ultimatum to close-out on the Board inauguration for the NDDC.
“We consider NDDC a very critical agency for us in this region. And for this cause we want to make it clear that between now (April 25) and the one month if the Board is not brought in we may not be able to guarantee the safety of oil operations in the region.”
Reiterating the resolve of the Ijaw Youth Council to shut down the entire Niger Delta region if their one-month ultimatum is ignored by the Government, Comrade Igbifa warned that “when we say we are shutting down, there will be no activity.
“And that is the major reason, internally in our meeting we have advised our people, anybody you can help, the moment we get close to this, anybody you can help with garri, beans, please do because we are going to lock down activities in the region, no road movement, no water movement, no activity within that period. And that is why we say we cannot guarantee the safety of oil workers at that time. That’s why we gave one month notice.”
The Niger Delta has been the most peaceful region since the emergence of the incumbent government, despite the high levels of insecurity reported in the Northern, Western and Eastern parts of the country.
Meanwhile, controversies has surrounded the whereabouts of the IYC President, Peter Igbifa in the last two days with reports of arrest and kidnap hitting social media.
Reports had suggested he was arrested by the Department of Secret Service, but the DSS has come out to deny taking hold of the activist.
All eyes are now on the Ijaw Youth Council if the planned protest will take effect upon it’s expiration.
