The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has said it will not condone the scrapping of the Niger Delta Ministry by the Federal Government.
IYC Spokesman, Amb. Princewill Binebai said this during a press briefing in Warri, Delta State.
“Any attempt to scrap any ministry or commission that has to do with the Niger Delta will be resisted with the last drop of our blood. This is not a threat but a statement that will become a reality should the reverse becomes the case,” Binebai said.
The apex Ijaw youth body also warned against the further invasion of communities by military in the name of hunting suspects.
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The statement addressing several other issues, read in full;
“A Press Briefing Held On This 18th Day Of August 2023 At Warri By The Spokesman Of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill On The Worrisome State Of Things In The Nigerian State
“I bring greetings from the National President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri and members of the 9th NEC.
“This press briefing is holding today to address key issues bedeviling the Ijaw nation in the Nigerian state as well as informing our dear and respectable leaders on the path Council will be towing in the next three years.
“As we are aware of, the entire Ijaw Youths across Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo States, Lagos and Abuja chapters, together with other leaders of Ijaw nation gathered at the Gabriel Okara cultural centre in Yenagoa on Saturday the 22nd of July 2023 to produce the 9th leadership of council.
“It is on this premise that the 9th NEC led by Jonathan Lokpobiri have specially taken interest on the unity of Ijaw Nation. Council as a revolutionary body established to advance the interest and progress of Ijaw nation, we will continue to be apolitical and will never be seen as a political appendage to a group or persons in line with the ideals of the founding fathers of council.
“Council is well aware that the Ijaw people in the Niger Delta region, despite contributing towards the economic and political well-being of the country, the Ijaw people have not truly been given their fair share in the resources that are produced from their communities.
“IYC will continue to prioritise the unity of Ijaw nation for in unity lies our strength hence Prof. Dime, pioneer President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC ) had posited in 1992 at Arogbo in Ondo state that “If Spiders Web Can Unite, They Can Tie Up A Lion ” . The unity of Ijaw is important and our march for a better Ijaw nation.
“While our thank you cum familiarisation visits to critical stakeholders across Ijaw nation will continue, we want to use this opportunity to thank our leaders and fathers who have opened their doors for us and have given us their blessings to succeed. The 9th NEC have come to add value and will never compromise the Ijaw struggle for anything.
“Today, the issues of resource control and self determination which the Kaiama declaration stands for, a declaration that gave birth to the IYC is a matter that Council will continue to pursue, we want to heavily participate in the resources that are extracted from our lands. Never will the Ijaw people beg to get peanuts from their own wealth.
“While the Ijaw people will continue to be peaceful and will always embrace one Nigeria, we must sound it clearly that our continued guarantee of peace in Nigeria should be laced with justice, fairness, equity and political inclusion. It is very sad to note that almost everything that has come to the Niger Delta, particularly to the Ijaw people are all products of agitation and struggle. Nothing has ever been given to the Ijaw people freely.
“Henceforth, council will not tolerate and accept the incessant Invasion of Ijaw communities at every slightest opportunity by the Nigerian military. The Ijaw people should not be treated as strangers in this country, people must learn to respect them as critical stakeholders in this country.
“Council will not rest until justice is done for the gruesome murder of Peterside Alafuro, an Ijaw from Rivers state that was murdered by a trigger happy police officer in Rivers State, we are calling for justice, we will not allow this evil to be swept under the carpet.
“Going forward, the Ijaw Youth Council will embrace friends of the Ijaw people in the Nigerian state and will also resist foes of our region and the Ijaw people in particular. Our development and progress will be at the front burner as we engage with critical stakeholders in Nigeria to negotiate a better deal for our people. Never will the Ijaws take the back seat.
“We are calling on the multinational oil companies to prepare towards relocating their headquarters back to the Niger Delta region that the oil and gas is being milked from. You cannot be drilling and exporting oil from our soil and paying royalty to other state (s).
“Any attempt to scrap any ministry or commission that has to do with the Niger Delta will be resisted with the last drop of our blood. This is not a threat but a statement that will become a reality should the reverse becomes the case.
“The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) is stating that the bill for the establishment of our precious Nigeria Maritime University, (NMU) Okerenkoko in Delta State has suffered too much legislative hiccups, never have we seen anywhere in the world how a school of such will struggle so hard for survival, the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu must quickly in collaboration with the National Assembly see to the passage of the bill.
“The floating dock originally designed for Okerenkoko as a complementary gesture for the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko must without delay be relocated back to Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
“The PIA provides for 30% from NNPCL profit for oil exploration in frontier basin which are within states in the northern region. While it makes provision for only a paltry 3% operational expenditure for the development of Niger Delta oil bearing communities.
“This is a monumental imbalance that has given some form of legitimacy by the government of Nigeria to a people that are contributing nothing compared to those that the resources are coming from.
“On this note, the IYC will constitute a legal team that will critically look at the rationale behind this ugly trend before seeking a proper means of redress through the options available to us as Niger Delta people
“Finally, we will continue to remain humble and indebted to the Ijaw people. Council will be resolute in pursuing a better and progressive Ijaw nation.”
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