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Tag: Ijaw youths

  • Ijaw youths protest removal of Ogbe-Ijoh coronation posters in Warri

    Ijaw youths protest removal of Ogbe-Ijoh coronation posters in Warri

    Angry Ijaw youths and women on Tuesday staged a protest in Warri, Delta State, over the removal of posters and billboards announcing the coronation anniversary of the Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Mobene III.

    The banners, mounted along the Miller Waterside and Warri South secretariat axis of the Warri–Sapele Road, were allegedly pulled down by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in connivance with some Itsekiri youths.

    Videos circulating on social media showed some of the displaced banners packed inside a Sienna vehicle bearing police markings.

    In one of the clips, a man alleged that the Ogbe-Ijoh people were being oppressed on their land and called for urgent government intervention.

    The posters reportedly described Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom as being located in both Warri South-West and Warri South LGAs, a claim that angered Itsekiri youths, who argued that the Ijaws have no land in Warri South.

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    In a video posted on Facebook, the Itsekiri youths described the posters as provocative and urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to caution the Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh, insisting that celebrations should be restricted to Warri South-West.

    Delta Police Command spokesman, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the protest but noted that both groups are in a peace meeting with the Area Commander.

    “I can confirm that there was a protest. I can also confirm that the two factions are finally meeting with the Area Commander for a peace meeting. I think the reason for the protest has nothing to do with the banner; it’s just between themselves. But after the meeting, we will get the full details of what transpired,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Warri South Council, led by Comrade Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, has yet to issue a statement on the matter.

  • Plots to derail amnesty programme will fail, say Ijaw youths

    Plots to derail amnesty programme will fail, say Ijaw youths

    Stakeholders under the auspices of the Ijaw Youth Network (IYN) have warned persons plotting to pull down the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), saying that their sinister motive will be in vain.

    The youths particularly condemned recent sponsored attacks and blackmail against the Administrator of PAP, Dr Dennis Otuaro, by a group that identified itself as the Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change.

    The IYN in a statement signed by its President, Frank Ebikabo, and Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, described the group’s allegations of mismanagement of the programme as “baseless, malicious, and unfounded.”

    The IYN said the attacks and blackmail were part of a coordinated campaign to give the PAP Administrator a bad name and distract him from focusing on his remarkable work in the Niger Delta.

    The stakeholders said that “all such wicked plots to derail the programme will fail like others before them.”

    The group observed that the serial attacks and blackmail smacked of pure hatred for Otuaro because he had blocked all loopholes which the misguided elements and their sponsors were using to siphon funds meant for the execution of the programme’s mandate.

    IYN said, “Every other week, a new ghost group springs up with similar accusations, a pattern designed to harass and discredit a man whose only offence is his diligence, transparency, and love for the Niger Delta.

    “We, as concerned stakeholders, strongly condemn these attacks and blackmail and urge the discerning public to discountenance them”.

    The group insisted that Otuaro had sanitised the PAP through deliberate reforms, which it said had led to expansion of the programme’s scholarship and vocational training schemes to create more opportunities for the former agitators and beneficiaries of the programme.

    The stakeholders said, “The Presidential Amnesty Programme under the leadership of Dr Dennis Otuaro has focused on and expanded youth empowerment, education, and skills acquisition, all geared towards human capacity development in the Niger Delta and fostering peace and stability in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

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    “He has brought renewed energy, direction, and purpose to the initiative. The Presidential Amnesty Programme has become “a pride of the Federal Government and a reference point in post-conflict reintegration and rehabilitation management.”

    The IYN queried the legitimacy of the accusers, describing the Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change as a fictitious organisation with shadowy characters.

    The group said that the real target of the sustained devilish attacks and blackmail by the misguided elements was to blackmail President Tinubu, who appointed Otuaro to reposition the PAP.

    The IYN called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant institutions to resist being used as tools in a smear campaign and urged all Niger Delta people to rally behind the PAP Administrator.

    “We say unequivocally: Leave Dr Dennis Otuaro alone. He is doing an excellent job. The people of the Niger Delta, including ex-agitators, traditional leaders, and other stakeholders, are solidly behind him,” the stakeholders said.

  • Don’t obstruct Niger Delta Peace during Boro Day, Otuaro tells Ijaw youths 

    Don’t obstruct Niger Delta Peace during Boro Day, Otuaro tells Ijaw youths 

    The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP)  Dr Dennis Otuaro, has called on youths in the Niger Delta to keep supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by maintaining peace in the Niger Delta during the Boro Day celebration.

    Otuaro urged the Ijaw and Niger Delta youths to coordinate the commemorative activities of the Boro Day in a way that would not compromise the stability and peace of the region.

    In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media,  Igoniko Oduma, to herald the celebration, Otuaro  paid tributes to the late Ijaw icon. 

    He described Boro as an uncommon visionary and foresighted Ijaw man who dedicated his life to the struggle for fairness, equity and justice for the Niger Delta people and the advancement of socio-economic and political growth and development in Nigeria.

    He noted that the Kaiama-born activist’s selfless service, sacrifices and legacy had remained the solid foundation for sustained solidarity and advocacy for better living conditions for the people of the Niger Delta.

    The PAP helmsman said Boro deserved to be honoured and celebrated for the values that he stood and died for, in the interest of the Ijaw and Niger Delta people.

    Read Also: Ijaw stakeholders urge NNPCL to expand PINL contract in Niger Delta

    He stressed that Boro’s accomplishments would continue to resonate in the history of minority rights struggles.

    He stated that the impacts of the foremost freedom fighter’s struggle were evidenced in the several government agencies established to address the peculiarities and challenges of the region.

    Otuaro said Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda was designed with an  unwavering commitment to the development of the Niger Delta.

    He said: “On the occasion of the 2025 Boro Day celebration, I salute the cherished memory of Isaac Boro. I also salute his vision, courage, resilience and enduring legacy of selfless service and sacrifices for the Niger Delta region.

    “He fought for an egalitarian society where fairness, justice and equity would be the strong pillars of advancement and development as well as mutual co-existence.

    “His struggle for better living conditions for his people was based on these principles and values. He cannot be honoured and celebrated enough for his sacrifices”.

  • Ijaw youths hold national convention on constitution review

    Ijaw youths hold national convention on constitution review

    All roads led to the ancient city of Odi in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over the weekend as the umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide held its national convention on constitution review.

    Former IYC presidents, youth leaders, Zonal leaders, clan leaders, government functionaries, lawmakers from Bayelsa and other states joined the IYC President Jonathan Lokpobiri Snr to make the convention a reality.

    Declaring the convention open, Lokpobiri said It was with great pride and a deep sense of responsibility that he stood before Ijaw sons and daughters at the 2024 you today at this National Convention, with the theme: ‘Sustainable Drive and Self-Determination for Our Development’.

    He said the convention was both timely and critical for the future of Ijaw people, noting, “We are gathered here, united in our shared commitment to securing a brighter future for the Ijaw Nation.

    “As we sit together today, we are not merely participants in a convention; we are stewards of a movement that has endured for generations.

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    “We are the ones who, through our actions, will shape the path forward for our people, ensuring that the struggles we face today will pave the way for a stronger and more unified Ijaw Nation.

    “I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the leaders and youth who have taken the time to be part of this event. Your presence here today speaks volumes about the strength of our collective will and the unwavering commitment we have to the cause of our people.”

    The IYC President further said: “As we engage today, let us keep in mind the legacy we are leaving for the generations that will come after us. The decisions and resolutions we make today will lay the foundation for their success, just as the decisions made by our forebears have paved the way for us. We must be mindful of the challenges they will face, and we must ensure that the path we chart today empowers them to build upon the work we have done.”

    Also speaking, a former Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon Tonye Isenah, appealed to youths to be peaceful and united.

  • Ijaw youths lament ruling stopping allocation to Rivers

    Ijaw youths lament ruling stopping allocation to Rivers

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has lamented the halting of federal allocation to Rivers State.

    It claimed the development was politically motivated and aimed at destabilising the government of Siminalayi Fubara.

    The spokesman for the IYC, Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, made this known in a statement made available to reporters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, after a news conference on the state of the Niger Delta.

    Princewill said the negative federal court ruling that halted allocations to Rivers State was particularly alarming, arguing that such decisions directly harm the populace without just cause and undermines the democratic values that the judiciary is meant to uphold.

    He stated: “There is a strong condemnation of political moves perceived as attempts to destabilize the government of Rivers State led by His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara.

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    “The council emphasizes that such actions lead to identity crises, societal segregation, and further marginalisation of the people.

    “The Ijaw Youth Council calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the federal government to take immediate, empathetic action to address these grievances to prevent any escalation of unrest among the Ijaw people.”

    He said the comprehensive appeal highlights a critical need for dialogue, acknowledgment of grievances, and a commitment to equitable development across all regions of Nigeria. Princewill said addressing these issues not only promotes national unity but also enhances the dignity and rights of marginalised communities.

    He said it was essential that the federal government recognises and responds to the legitimate concerns of the Niger Delta to foster a harmonious and prosperous Nigeria.

    He lamented that the River State has been turned into a gladiatorial combat for the entertainment of high profile political leaders and the rest of the country.

    The spokesman said: “This is a very serious dark comedy that shows lack of love and respect for human dignity, lack of respect for constituted authority and salvation. The Federal Government cannot claim to be ignorant of what is happening in Rivers. 

    “It will do Nigeria a lot of good if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swings into action by addressing these issues urgently and dispassionately before the Ijaw nation makes moves to protect itself in the Nigerian state.”

  • Tinubu took a bold step appointing Otuaro Amnesty coordinator – Ijaw youths

    Tinubu took a bold step appointing Otuaro Amnesty coordinator – Ijaw youths

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Western Zone has said President Bola Tinubu took a “bold step” in appointing Dr. Dennis Otuaro as the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    The IYC zone, which spans Delta, Edo and Ondo States, applauded President Tinubu for the appointment which it described as “a breath of fresh air”.

    In a statement by Dr. Doubra Okotete and Omoghomi Olu-Derimon, Chairman and Secretary respectively, the group said the appointment has brought great relief to Niger Deltans, Otuaro being the first Delta Ijaw to be appointed into the PAP office. 

    Expressing confidence that the new PAP coordinator, who is a product of the Niger Delta struggle, will move the programme forward, the IYC assured of its readiness to work with him so as to address the problems bedeviling the region. 

    “We commend President Bola Tinubu for appointing Dr. Dennis Otuaro as the coordinator of the Amnesty Programme.

    “And on behalf of the 24 Ijaw clans in Delta, Edo & Ondo States, we wish to congratulate you our dear  brother and leader on your well-deserved appointment. 

    Read Also: Ijaw youths threaten protest against  cement price hike

    “Otuaro is an astute administrator and resource manager who fits the bill. He is a round peg in a round hole and the entire Ijaw youths are happy with this development. 

    “The new coordinator should bring his wealth of experience garnered over the years as conflict manager to bear on his new assignment.

    “He should see this as a call to serve and avoid the obvious mistakes of his predecessors, as well as avoid the pitfalls, distractions and the trappings of office and concentrate on delivering on the mandate of the programme for the benefit of those it is intended for.

    “We are ready to work with the new coordinator in order to achieve the desired result, knowing he has the capacity to deliver.

    “However, our advice to him is to remain focus and avoid name droppers who don’t mean well for the region and his immediate focus should be on key areas capable of restoring the beneficiaries’ confidence that the programme is meant for them.

    “Finally, it is pertinent to drop a reminder that the amnesty programme is key to maintaining peace in the region and as such, must see his appointment as a call to contribute to achieving such peace,” parts of the statement read. 

  • Ijaw youths angry over ‘unfair’ recruitment

    All is seemingly not well among the Ijaw people in the Niger Delta as a result of recent announcement by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to engage new employees in the corporation.

    Already, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has expressed displeasure over the recruitment process, saying it lacked transparency and fairness. The IYC particularly alleged that the corporation was sidelining qualified Ijaw people from its recent employment process.

    The Ijaw youths held an emergency meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital recently to criticise the process.

    Speaking after the meeting, the IYC Secretary-General, Alfred Kemepado, alleged that the employment announced recently by NNPC had been hijacked by some powerful people at the corporation and the Presidency.

    Kemepado said it smacked of injustice and unfairness for the Ijaw people, who suffer pains of oil exploration and exploitation, to be marginalised whenever there are job opportunities in the oil sector, especially the NNPC.

    He said: “Recently, you may have discovered that NNPC advertised for qualified individuals to apply for various positions in NNPC and applications were made around the country and as qualified and competent as the Ijaw are, most of us also applied for those jobs.

    “But information reaching us indicate that the Presidency has hijacked the process of recruitment and that the Ijaw people are being sidelined and we find that very offensive for many reasons.

    “One of the reasons is that we cannot continue to dwell in a country where they come around the Niger Delta, especially in the Ijaw territory drill the oil, take the oil and sustain this country called Nigeria and leave us with the associated diseases such as leukemia and the degraded environment. But when there is opportunity for employment, our people are always sidelined, marginalised and not considered at all. We find that very offensive.”

    Describing the situation as intolerable, Kemepado appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the new Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC to look into the issue and consider Ijaw people who are qualified for the existing job opportunities.

    “We appeal to the Presidency and the new GMD to look into this issue and ensure that Ijaw people who applied for those positions, whom we know are qualified for these positions should be considered and not sidelined by the list from the Presidency.

    “If that really happens, we will take it as an insult. From the inception of this government, we have been provoked many times. The time officials from the Presidency visited the Niger Delta, they promised that international oil companies would relocate to the Niger Delta. We did not see that happen. But we frown at this one and we are calling on the Presidency to have a rethink and do what is right.”

    Kemepado also maintained that the IYC received information to the effect that, following the appointment of the new boss of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the corporation would be restructured, even as he called on the Federal Government to consider Ijaw people during the process.

    He noted that Ijaw youths had been trained in the activities of the oil sector through various interventionist programmes such as the Amnesty Office, the NDDC and other scholarship schemes sponsored by the government.

    “They are eminently qualified since they possess local and foreign certificates. So, nobody can doubt the competence of the Ijaw people. Therefore, the country should not continue to provoke this region. The Ijaw Youth Council and the elders have done our beat to keep the peace in this region.

    “Let us make it abundantly clear that the peace that President Buhari has enjoyed for the past four years and the peace that has prevailed as a result of the continuous flow of oil was not as a result of what this government has done for the people of the Niger Delta.

    “It is only as a result of our resolve as a people to keep the peace here with the hope that in situation such as this, our people will not continue to be sidelined and I don’t want the Presidency to push its luck too far and further provoke our people.

     

  • Buhari’s endorsement divides Ijaw youths

    • IYC moves to suspend spokesman

    Leaders of the  umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, are now at one another’s throat  following  the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari by some of them.

    Spokesman of the IYC, Daniel Dasimaka, sparked the row when he issued a statement that Buhari deserved a second term on the strength of  his plan  to allocate oil blocks to Niger Delta oil-producing states to facilitate development in the region.

    He said Buhari won the admirations of the youths when he resisted pressure mounted on him by haters of the region to scrap the amnesty programme in 2015.

    “The President deserves mass support from Niger Delta on his second term bid in order to consolidate on his agenda for the region and the nation,” he said.

    Specifically, he said Buhari’s second term would take the Ogoni clean-up, construction of the Bonny-Bodo road and the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko among others to the next level.

    Among other achievements, he said Buhari’s administration gave approvals for the establishment of modular refineries across the nine states of the Niger-Delta.

    But no sooner had he released the statement than other leaders of IYC including the secretariat of the council dissociated themselves from Dasimaka’s position.

    Secretary-General of IYC, Alfred Kemepado, in a counter statement said Dasimaka was on his own.

    He said the body was in the process of suspending Dasimaka.

    Kemepado said the endorsement statement was not approved by the congress and leadership of IYC.

    He said: “It would be recalled that the spokesman had issued a statement in which the spokesman of council had itemised a few achievements and upon same issued a blanket endorsement on the re-election of President Buhari.

    “Our finding shows that Daniel had done the abominable as he did this without recourse to congress, an act that is against our convention and laid down rules governing such critical statements.”

    He said Dasimaka’s statement offended the past and present leaders of the council noting that the leaders had asked for a disciplinary action against the spokesman.

    Kemepado added that the council immediately constituted a disciplinary committee headed by the IYC Legal Adviser, Igbeta Ayibakuro, to investigate the reasons for such endorsement.

    Other members of the committee are Freedom Atigbi, Secretary; Inspector Innocent, Igali Robert and Ernest Gogo.

    He said the committee was given five days to review the statement issued by the spokesman and ascertain whether it was done in good fate and in accordance with the council’s ethos.

    Kemepado said the council was also asked to recommend punitive measures if they found the action as contravening the convention and protocols of the council.

    He said: “Finally, let it be clear that the Ijaw Nation and The Ijaw Youth Council did not endorse President Buhari for a second term.

    “Instead we have questions to ask him with respect to the restructuring of this country, the Ogoni clean up and the clean up of the Niger Delta and the relocation of oil multinationals to the Niger Delta.

    “We also have questions on the low funding of the presidential amnesty programme, the politicization of the NDDC, the militarization of the Niger Delta and the subsequent murder of our people and in recent times the repatriation of our funds as stated by the recent Supreme Court judgement.”

     

  • Ijaw youths endorse Buhari for second term

     

     

    Ijaw youths on Friday declared support for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming general elections.

    The youths under the auspices of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide insisted Buhari deserves a second term.

    They said they were excited by Buhari’s plans to allocate oil blocks to Niger Delta oil-producing states to facilitate development in the region.

    The youths said the only way they could reciprocate the Buhari’s good intentions through his programmes and projects in the region is to reward him with a second term.

    In a statement by spokesman of IYC, Daniel Dasimaka, the youths said they were backing the call by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Prof. Charles Dokubo, to vote for the President.

    Dasimaka said Buhari won their admirations when he resisted pressure mounted on him by haters of the region to scrap the amnesty programme in 2015.

    Besides, he said the President deserves a second term to enable him consolidate his agenda in the region.

     

     

    “The President deserves mass support from Niger Delta on his second term bid in order to consolidate on his agenda for the region and the nation,” he said.

    Specifically, he said Buhari’s second term would take the Ogoni cleanup, construction of the Bonny-Bodo road and the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko among others to the next level.

    Dasimaka, who is the Coordinator of the Niger Deltans for Accountability and Good Governance (NDAGG), noted Buhari’s intervention led National University Commission (NUC) to grant approval to the arithmetic university to commence undergraduate degree programmes.

    He said Buhari’s administration gave approvals for the establishment of modular refineries across the nine states of the Niger-Delta.

    According to him 38 licences have been issued, covering high-scale refineries of 50,000 to 250,000 barrels per day.

    He explained the administration completed six cassava processing plants in most of the states in the region.

    He added that 130 youths in the Niger Delta were trained on poultry, Aquaculture, crop production and were given N1million each by the Buhari-led administration.

     

     

     

    He said: “In the Niger-Delta region, 214 women who specialize in poultry and snail production were given between N350,000 to N500,00 each.

    “198 women and youths in the Niger-Delta region were trained on ICT & business hub, poultry & fish production.

    “Under President Buhari’s administration, 60 youths from the Niger-Delta region were also trained on assemblage and repair of phones.”

  • IYC to FG: Identify, deal with politicians importing arms 

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has urged the Federal Government and Service Chiefs to quickly adopt all necessary measures to stop importation of arms and ammunition for electoral purposes.

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths said the first step should be to monitor the borders, close all the porous areas to stop the merchants from brining illegal weapons into the country ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    Read Also:2019 is a referendum for Niger Deltans, says IYC

    Reacting to the fears of influx of arms raised by the security chiefs in their recent meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Secretary-General, IYC, Alfred Kemepado, said all politicians involve in the dastardly act should be arrested and dealt with no matter their political leanings.

    Kemepado asked the service chiefs to use all the intelligence available to them to find out those sponsoring the importation and deal with them in accordance with the law.

    He said their were possibilities that some security heads knew the importers but chose to collude with them against the state.

    He blamed the culture of deploying illegal weapons in elections on the body language of most governments in power adding that politicians are always in the habit of training and arming thugs without facing the required repercussion.

    He said: “We blame the stockpiling of arms for election culture largely on the body language and policies of most administrations. The thugs in an election don’t fund themselves. They are always funded and armed by the so called political elite.

    “The thugs used for elections are like the proverbial smoke; the real smoke is the elite. Security agencies should expand their intelligence to deal with these so-called political elite no matter how highly placed or which political party they belong, even if they belong to the ruling APC.

    “This cleansing can only be effective if it is done without bias. However, it is also good to involve the civil society organisations to increase advocacy condemning the acts and pointing the dangers and this should be done at communal levels.

    “But let me make bold to say that the chances are very high that security agencies know the importers of these arms, but some are colluding to prosper these crimes against the Nigeria people”.