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Tag: IYC

  • IYC condemns military invasion of Ondo community

    The apex youth body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), yesterday condemned what it called the inhuman military invasion of Ajakpa community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State by the Army.

    In a statement by the National Spokesperson of Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Mr Henry Iyalla, IYC warned the military to stop further actions that may result in terrorising, killing and destroying property of law-abiding residents of the community.

    On May 1, troops of Operation Delta Safe (ODS) celebrated the killing of a suspected militant, Ossy Ibori, and the destabilisation of his gang, believed to be responsible for terrorising parts of the Niger Delta.

    But IYC said it was surprised when the military extended its operations to those it called innocent residents of Ajapa community.

    The statement reads: “We condemn attacks on innocent residents of Ajakpa community by the same military saddled with the responsibility of protecting their lives and property. We also sympathise with the military on the loss of some soldiers.

    “We call on them to stop further actions aimed at terrorising, maiming, killing and destroying property of law-abiding citizens of Ajakpa community, especially women and children who are badly hit by the wake of recent bombings of the community.

    “The efforts to arrest criminals should be separated from attacks on innocent people. Forcefully displacing a people from their homes is not the way to go in tackling safety in the region. Report reaching us from a community shows that in the past four days, the people of Ajakpa community have been denied access to their homes, water and food.”

    IYC said women and children were dying of starvation and diseases, adding: “Women are being raped and sexually harassed. For four days, the people of Ajakpa community have being living in the bush in dire conditions.”

  • No end in sight to IYC woes

    No end in sight to IYC woes

    What is happening to the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide? The council, the only vibrant frontline organisation in Ijaw nation, is in tatters. It is bugged down by conflicting interests. It has been brought to its knees by a succession crisis. In fact, things seem to have fallen apart in IYC. Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa reports

    If there were doubts that all is not well with the  Ijaw Youth Council (IYC),  that should have ended with Wednesday’s clash in Delta State. A  46th birthday lecture for ex-miliant leader Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) turned violent when supporters of the  two factions in the group threw caution to the wind. Guns boomed. Axes were freely used and many scaled fences to escape being hurt.

    A lawyer and immediate past spokesman of the group, Mr. Eric Omare, has  insisted that the council he leads is the authentic one.

    But a group viciously opposed to Omare recently concluded a parallel poll producing another lawyer, Mr. Oweilaemi Pereotubo, as a factional leader of the council. So, there seems to be no end in sight to the IYC imbroglio.

     

    Genesis of crisis

    Succession crisis is not new to the IYC. The immediate past President of the council, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, had a good dose of it. He was enmeshed in a similar impasse. In 2014, Eradiri swam the murky waters of IYC troubles, but stood his ground and ruggedly withstood all obstacles thrown to him by his detractors.

    Apart from successfully securing a political solution to the crisis, Eradiri smartly silenced all dissent voices through multiple valid court judgements. Midway into his tenure, the forces against Eradiri rose again. A significant number of his executive committee teemed up against him and conspired to depose him. They went further to declare an Ijaw youth leader, Mr. Elvis Donkemezuo, a President of IYC.

    But unknown to them, Eradiri had them cornered. He brandished copies of court judgements confirming their actions as illegal. He instituted fresh litigations charging them with contempt of court. Donkemezuo later threw in the towel citing love for Ijaw nation and desire for peace. Eradiri, thereafter, had fragile peace and temporary relief.

    Undoubtedly, the present crisis rocking the council is an offshoot of the opposition against Eradiri’s leadership by his defunct executive members. His opponents, after their aborted attempt to remove him, simply relaxed and waited for a transition process.

    So, on November 8, 2016,  Eradiri directed all zones and chapters of the council to begin the transition process. He asked them to immediately call for a general congress and nominate their electoral committee members.

    The former President said his directive was in line with the council’s constitution, citing  Article (9) section 1, 2, 3, where he derived his powers as the leader of the National Executive Council (NEC).

    He said: “I humbly direct all zones and chapter Chairmen with due consultation with their executive council members, to call for an all inclusive and well publicised congress to nominate two persons each, from the zone and one from Lagos and Abuja chapters to serve in the electoral committee and forward same through the Secretary-General of the council to NEC as enshrined in Article (9) section (3) subsection (d) of the Ijaw Youths Council constitution, not later than 25th November 2016”.

    Eradiri’s call almost hit a brick wall. The Deputy President, Mr. Razak Amatoru, in a swift reaction, gave a counter directive. He called on the zones and chapters to disregard Eradiri’s directive.

    He said: “I respectfully call on all organs of the council (National Excos, zones, chapters and Clans) to ignore such directive as it does not legitimately emanate from the council, the National Executive has not met at anytime to take such decision.”

    Razak claimed that the constitution from where Eradiri said he derived his powers, was illegitimate. He described the constitution as padded to benefit only a selected few. He argued that the council was entangled with many controversies and that an election without settling the different conflicts could plunge the council into deeper problems.

    Therefore, Razak and seven of the defunct 10-member executive committee, who were at loggerheads with the former president, thought that since there was no solution to their crisis to enable or facilitate a meeting of the council, Eradiri lacked the powers to issue directives on behalf of the council.

    But Omare, who was then a spokesman and staunch loyalist of Eradiri, differed from Razak and his group. He described the action of Razak as a clear act of insubordination and lack of respect for rules and regulations.

    He explained that there was no section of the IYC constitution which empowered a deputy president or a vice-chairman in the case of zones and chapters to counter a directive issued by the president or a zonal chairman.

    Omare also faulted the claims of Razak that the amended constitution of IYC popularly called the Ofunama Constitution was illegitimate. He said the constitution was endorsed by council members and had seen been used to run the council. According to him its provisions were relied upon to among other things set up clans and zonal electoral committees; select delegate and conduct all the zonal elections and conduct all the clan elections without complaints.

     

    Transition begins amidst crisis

    Eradiri was not ready to bow to pressure. He insisted on midwifing the transition process to enable him formally handover power to a new committee. The congress was held in Okirika, Rivers State, and the Electoral Committee headed by Mr. Oscar Izu, was inaugurated to conduct the election.

    But those opposed to Eradiri immediately held a parallel congress at Toru-Ebeni in Sagbama, Bayelsa State, and inaugurated a separate electoral committee under the leadership of Mr. Jeremaiah Owoupele.

    The Osacar Izu-led committee fixed a convention to elect new leaders of IYC on March 2nd. Irked by the development, past leaders of IYC and members of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) asked all the warring parties to sheathe their swords, suspend all their actions and attend a peace meeting at Patani, Delta State, to resolve all the crisis in the council. The meeting was at the instance of Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo.

    But Eradiri was angry at the ‘meddlesomeness’ of the elders. He wondered why such meeting should be called without first notifying him and asked Ijaw youths to disregard the gathering. He insisted that elders had no right to meddle in IYC matters adding that they only played advisory roles.

    The elders met with the opponents of Eradiri and instituted a fresh transition process tagged IYC Unity Election. Others who spearheaded the unity election are Dr. Chris Ekiyor, Werinipre Digifa, Nengi James, Jude Tabai, Ateke Tom and Preye Ekpebide. Eradiri went ahead with the March 2nd convention in Burutu, Delta State after officially vacating his office for the first time in the history of IYC.

    The convention produced the 7th National Executive Committee of IYC with Omare as the President; Deputy President, Iyerifama Godswill Jaja; Secretary-General, Ogede Embele -Akpo Parkins; Assistant Secretary-General,  Elaye Vivian Offeh and Director of Mobilisation,  Kokoimgbi Abraham Ebibobra.

    Others are, Spokesperson,  Iyalla Henry; Treasurer, Idoniboyeobu Wabiye; Financial Secretary, Frank Magada; Legal Adviser, Porri Tare; Organising Secretary, Marcus Ebikemiyen and Woman Leader, Yabrifa Jennifer Oliver.

    In his speech after his emergence, Eradiri appealed to the elders to help build peace in IYC. He said: “I humbly call on former leaders of the IYC and Ijaw opinion leaders, such as Dr. Felix Tuodolor, T. K. Ogoriba, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, Alabo Nengi James, Chief Daniel Ekpebide, Famous Daunemigha and others to choose the part of neutrality in order to bring peace to the IYC.

    “This cannot be achieved by setting up parallel structures in the IYC outside the leadership. I am open to constructive dialogue to bring permanent peace to the IYC”.

    But Omare’s pleas fell on deaf ears. The elders went ahead with a congress in Okirika where they inaugurated an Electoral Committee led by Ebi Waribigha to conduct the unity election. Despite court orders asking the parties to maintain the status quo ante, the committee held its election at Okochiri in Okirika on April 9 and elected  Pereotubo as a rival to Omare.

    But the fresh elections which held in Okochiri reportedly caused panic and fears of possible clash of the two factions following looming struggle for the control of IYC secretariat. Investigations revealed that over seven patrol vans of riot policemen barricaded the Ijaw building located at the Sani Abacha Expressway.

    The armed policemen were said to have taken strategic positions around the building at the early hours as a proactive measure to stop possible violent clash. But the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Butswat Asinim, said the deployment was a routine security measure, which he claimed had nothing to do with the IYC crisis.

    “Close to Ijaw House is the Ijaw Heroes’ Park. The police have always maintained their presence at the park. So, it is just routine to have policemen around the area”, he said.

    But an IYC activist, Mr. Bodmass Kemepadai, said the police were deployed at the instance of the Eric Omare-led IYC Secretary, Ogede Perkins, to stop the faction opposed to Omare from invading the secretariat.

    It was gathered that at the end of the Okirika election, the whereabouts of one of the contestants for the office of the Secretary-General of IYC, Mr. Robert Igali, were unknown. Igali, who was a former Chief of Staff to Eradiri, was reportedly a ducted on his way back to Bayelsa after losing the election.

    He was said to have sent a text message to few of his friends shortly after his abduction and since then his headsets had remained switched off. The text message said: “I am Igali. I have been kidnapped on my way from Okirika after the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT). Please inform the Ijaw nation”.

    But Omare in a statement,  called on Ijaw youths to remain calm “in the light of deliberate efforts by some former leaders and members to factionalise the IYC”.

    He said: “What transpired on Sunday the 9th of April, 2017 at Okrika, Rivers State was not an IYC election but a charade by some former leaders of the council in the name of election.  It would definitely not stand the test of time.”

    Owoupele, in a statement, described the unity election as “the legitimate and people’s Ijaw Youth Council elections. “We now proudly have a leadership under Oweilaemi Pereotubo as the President of council.”

  • Dickson moves to reconcile warring IYC factions

    Dickson moves to reconcile warring IYC factions

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, Thursday, commenced a process of resolving the crisis rocking the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide and reconciling warring factions in the council.

    The umbrella body of Ijaw youths has been battling a succession crisis with two factions laying claims to the leadership of the council.

    The former President of IYC, formally handed over the mantle of leadership to Mr. Eric Omare after he emerged victorious in a convention attended by Ijaw youths in Burutu, Delta State.

    But some Ijaw elders opposed to Omare spearheaded a parallel convention in Okirika, Rivers State and elected Mr. Oweilaemi Pereotubo as the president.

    Dickson was reportedly worried about the development in IYC following Wednesday’s violent clash of the two factions at an event in Warri Delta State to mark the birthday of former militant leader, Chief Government Ekpuompolo, popularly known as Tompolo.

    The governor, Thursday, inaugurated a nine-man committee led by Chief Joshua Fumudoh to reconcile the parties involved in the controversies.

    Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the governor said, that the assemblage of Ijaw eggheads was to urgently address the issues unsettling the council.

    Dickson said he took a principled position of not supporting any of the faction adding that his concern was to arrest the situation and amicably resolve the disagreements.

    He charged the committee members to identify the root causes of the crisis; liaise with all stakeholders with a view to understanding the background of the crisis and proffer solutions and recommendations.

    The governor also asked them to provide a platform for mediation; make recommendation on how forestall future occurrence and make suggestions that would help leaders in handling the IYC and other leadership institutions moving forward.

    In his response, Fumudoh, lauded the effort of the governor to halt the crisis and promote peace among members of IYC.

    He said the committee would work tirelessly to carry out the charges given them within the stipulated time.

    Other members of the committee are Prof. Dagogo Fubara (Vice-Chairman) Amb. Godknows Igali (Secretary), E. I. E. Etteh, His Highness Nimi Adoki, Mrs. Rafi Suowari, High Chief F. J. Williams and Austin Dressy Dressman, Commissioner of Culture and Ijaw National Affairs.

     

  • Resource control will solve Niger Delta crisis – IYC

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, on Tuesday said the Federal Government’s idea of establishing modular refineries in the Niger Delta region would not bring permanent peace to the region.

    The newly-elected President of IYC, Mr. Eric Omare, who spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, said the only guaranteed solution to agitations in the region remained resource control and management.

    Omare said: ”Let me clarify here that the fact that we adopt the concept of modular refinery is not  an end in itself. In other words, the idea of modular refineries will not address the demands of the Niger Delta people.

    “It is just one of the temporary palliatives and we accept this palliative because it addresses one of the fundamental issues affecting the region today.

    ”If you go to our creeks now, you will observe that our environment has been totally damaged, partly because of the idea of this local refinery that is not controlled.

    “So, we believe that this idea of modular refinery that will incorporate those people that were formerly involved in illegal refineries as it is called, will address the environmental problem.

    ”Also, it will enable most of our people to be gainfully employed, acquire skills and other associated benefits. But the question of resource control and   ownership must be addressed for the Niger Delta to have permanent peace.”

  • Omare emerges President of factionalised IYC

    Omare emerges President of factionalised IYC

    Eric Omare, the immediate past spokesman of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), has been elected to lead as President of the apex Ijaw youths body by one of its factions.

    The election, which ushered Omare in, alongside three other executive council members, was held in Burutu town, headquarters of Burutu council area of Delta state between Thursday, March 2 and Friday, March 3, 2017.

    The election was held in defiance to a general resolution reached in Patani, Patani council area of Delta state, by a group of stakeholders of the IYC, including past presidents, elders and leaders from different parts of nation, which called for a new convention to be held on Sunday, March 5 in Okrika, Rivers state.

    According to the stakeholders, the convention scheduled for Okrika this coming weekend, which would have been second of its kind, should produce a credible electoral committee, which should organise the body’s election.

    However, the election held in Burutu, which produced Omare as president, had the blessing of the outgoing president, Udengs Eradiri.

    Omare emerged winner with a total of 67 votes to defeat his only challenger, Justine Okubo who did not record a single vote.

    Other executives elected are Ebalakpo Parkins, secretary general; Magada Franklin, financial secretary and Henry Ayala, Spokesman.

    Omare, a lawyer by professional practice, served as the Publicity Secretary of the outgoing executive council. He is also a Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Youths and Community Matters.

    In his acceptance speech, Omare while acknowledging the crack in the IYC, said “the new IYC executive would hit the ground running as we would immediately kickstart the process of healing the wounds that arised as a result of the election.”

    Speaking earlier, the outgoing president, Udengs Eradiri, said: “I pray the new IYC exexutive carry on with the vision and mission of the IYC. Eric Omare is a man that is very grounded in the Ijaw struggle and I believe he won’t fail on this regard.”

  • IYC leader lambasts Asari-Dokubo for meddling in crisis

    The outgoing President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, yesterday took a swipe at the Ijaw activist and erstwhile leader of the council, Alhaji Mujaheed Asari-Dokubo, for meddling in the transitional crisis rocking the council.

    Eradiri said Asari-Dokubo, without consulting him, called a meeting of past leaders of the council at Patani in Delta State to deliberate on matters affecting the council.

    The IYC boss said he fell apart with the activist after he disagreed with Asari-Dokubo’s position that the Ijaw should go to war if former President Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 election.

    The famous youth body has been thrown into crisis as it prepared to elect a new executive council, with factions constituting two electoral committees for the poll.

    Following the impasse, Asari-Dokubo, called for the dissolution of the two electoral bodies and convened a meeting of past leaders to be chaired by the first IYC leader and former Commissioner in Bayelsa State, Mr. Felix Tuodolor.

    Eradiri, whose tenure expires on Friday, formally moved his belongings out of the secretariat of IYC, yesterday.

    But the IYC boss said though the past leaders had the right to meet, such assembly had no bearing with the IYC and the transition convention scheduled to hold in Burutu, Delta State on Thursday (today).

    He also declared vacant the seats of executive members of the council and parliament members, who allegedly ganged up against him and set up a parallel electoral committee.

    He said henceforth any of them involved in IYC business would be arrested and prosecuted, adding that he was not afraid of whatever secret organisations they belonged to.

    He said: “Some people are planning a meeting in Patani. They have the right to meet as leaders and elders, but it has no bearing with the IYC. The highest decision-making organ of the IYC is the national convention.

    “So, anybody that wants anything should come to the convention. I have a constitution that we have followed to set up the electoral committee. But some brigands, who don’t have certificates and who think that they would not pass through the electoral process decided to gang about against me.

    “IYC is not a cult organisation. It is the umbrella body for the Ijaw people. If you belong to any organisation, keep it there and don’t use it to destroy the IYC”.

    On Asari-Dokubo, he said: “I heard that Asari called for the meeting. Asari has no locus standi to talk to me about IYC. I told him that if he mobilised 10,000 people, I will mobilise 20,000.

    “IYC is not about destroying the lives of young people. It is about building and developing young people. Let him show me how many people he had developed. Where is the university he said he opened? Where is the money?

    “What happened to the contract NDDC gave him to train Niger Delta people? He should go and train them. He is now talking about youths. He holds the beef against me that I stood against his statement that there would be war in Niger Delta if former President Jonathan lost the election. Can he go to war?

    “I told him it was not part of our resolutions in that meeting. He is a former president of IYC and his statement cannot be used to judge Niger Delta people. After 48 hours, I will be a former president with value and levels.

    “I am not afraid of Asari-Dokubo. He knows me very well because I added values to his organisation. Has he degenerated to the level of challenging a president? President protects president not  coming to cause confusion”.

  • Ijaw elders intervene to resolve crisis in IYC

    •245 delegates to elect new president

    Ijaw elders in the Niger Delta region have decried crisis in the vibrant Ijaw youth group, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide.

    The youth wing presided over by Mr. Udengs Eradiri, has been enmeshed in transition crisis leading contending forces to hold parallel conventions.

    While Eradiri inaugurated a nine-member electoral committee at one of the conventions in Okirika, Rivers State, another electoral committee, consisting of seven persons, was inaugurated at a separate convention in Toru-Ebeni, Bayelsa State.

    The electoral committee inaugurated by Eradiri to midwife a new executive committee of IYC is chaired by Mr. Oscar Isu.

    But Jeremaiah Owoupele heads the seven-member committee inaugurated by aggrieved members at Toru-Ebeni.

    The Chairman of one of the electoral committees, Mr. Oscar Isu, confirmed yesterday that key Ijaw stakeholders were working to resolve differences in the body.

    Isu said his committee was ready to conduct a free and fair election into the 11 positions in the executive committee.

    He said the process of electing the delegates had started, adding that 245 delegates from various clans would elect a new president.

    He said 18 forms had been collected by aspirants, noting that the submission of forms had been shifted to Tuesday.

    He said all aspirants for various positions would be screened in Port Harcourt, from March 2, adding that the elections would hold on March 11 at Burutu, Delta State.

  • IYC: Who is harassing who?

    The news: A crowd that called itself “Ijaw youths”, under the aegis of Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), with IYC President, Udengs Eradiri, on hand to take charge of business, just did a demonstration in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, urging the Federal Government to stop “harassing” former President Goodluck Jonathan and family.

    The crowd made some serious allegations — that Jonathan’s allowances had been stopped; and that his security personnel were not paid by the Federal Government.

    Is that so?  Perhaps Jonathan himself should release an official communication, detailing all these charges. That would give them more weight, and perhaps reasonable members of the community can then intervene to help correct any anomaly.

    Alleged victimisation of a former President is a serious charge, that should emerge from a serious channel, not from a street rabble.  So until that happens, there is little to reasonably say.

    Still, Hardball could wager the so-called Jonathan victimisation was just a smokescreen to defend the indefensible — the Patience Jonathan rash, reckless and utterly audacious claim to money suspected to be proceeds of crime, just on account of being a “former First Lady”.

    Is that another extra-constitutional post-office immunity for leaders suspected to have abused their offices?  If so, that would be sad; for it would be tantamount to self-ruin by a people at the receiving end of official sleaze.

    Indeed, the IYC is bewildering, pushing such weird sentiments.

    Whatever Patience Jonathan’s claim, the court is yet to decide her culpability or not. Indeed, no one has even charged her to court.

    But the pervading sentiment at that rally was that even if she did, she would not be the first — or likely be the last.

    Hear their Patience sound bite: “Patience Jonathan is not the only First Lady in this country. A wife to former deputy governor, governor, vice-president and president, are you expecting her to be a poor woman?  There are other first ladies in this country.”

    Ay, there are! But which of them has recklessly claimed ownership of funds the state has strong suspicion are proceeds of crime?

    To start with, such thinking is extremely unfortunate, if not outright asinine. If you accept the principle that a President’s spouse can abuse the sacred trust of Nigerians, and use her husband’s position to fleece long-suffering Nigerians, then you cannot in another breath complain of the mass poverty sure to follow.

    Besides, that Patience would not be the first or likely the last “First Lady”, thus suspected, is not only accepting past alleged abuse of offices; you also condemn yourself to such eternal abuses!  Now, what sort of reasoning is that?

    In that same Bayelsa, teachers have not been paid for seven months, despite its oil wealth. Yet, some “youths” are blocking the streets, pressing the right to free sleaze!  Who doesn’t know that poverty in the midst of plenty is a natural result of mismanagement?

    And, in the midst of all these, a biting symbolism: the march took place on Sani Abacha Expressway — Sani Abacha, the military despot, whose humongous sleaze still resonates, globally, 18 years after his death!

    IYC should take this free advice: for vacuous sentiments, you can’t afford to portray the Ijaw as uncritically supportive of suspected crimes in high office, simply because of misguided sentiments of the moment. This is what this misadvised Patience Jonathan crusade amounts to.

    So, shouldn’t some Ijaw elders step in to correct these callow youths, giving their people a bad name?

  • How Buhari can resolve Niger Delta crisis – Ijaw youths

    Ijaw youths on Thursday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to create economic engagements in the Niger Delta region as the most sustainable way of resolving the persistent crisis in the area.

    The youths under their umbrella body, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, said any discussion with stakeholders involving sharing of money without stimulating the economy of the region would be a waste of time.

    The IYC President, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, who spoke in Yenagoa, reeled out some key projects which when undertaken would calm frayed nerves in the region.

    One of the key economic projects capable of changing the fortunes of the region, according to Eradiri, is the Brass Fertilizer Project in Bayelsa State.

    He appealed to Buhari to approve the project and direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to fund it the same way the apex bank is providing financial support to the Dangote’s refinery project.

    He said the fertilizer project was designed to generate 12,000 jobs and create commercial traffic in the region.

    He said the Federal Government should also reverse its decision on the Maritime University at Gbaramatu in Delta State.

    He noted that it was cheaper to solve the problems of the region through economic engagements than through military operations like the ongoing Operation Crocodile Smile.

  • Why military option won’t work in Niger Delta – IYC

    Ijaw youths on Monday strongly advised the Federal Government to drop the idea of deploying troops, fighter jets and other military hardwares to the Niger Delta region to flush out militants.

    As part of their resolutions after meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, under their umbrella body, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, the youths said militants had no permanent location in the creeks like the Sambisa Forest that provided safe haven for Boko Haram in the Northeast.

    IYC in a communique signed by the its President, Mr. Udengs Eradiri and Spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, said militants claiming responsibility for bombings of oil installations were adopting guerrilla tactics to carry out their criminal acts.

    The group said instead of resorting to military option, the security agencies should adopt intelligence gathering to stop attacks and arrest militants.

    IYC said: “We strongly advise against this option. It is not and can never be a solution to Niger Delta quest for better deal. Those advising military option are enemies of your government, Niger Deltans and the people of Nigeria.

    “In the first place, the Niger Delta militants that have claimed responsibility for attacks on oil facilities are not stationed in any particular place like Boko-Haram in Sambisa forest. There is no Sambisa forest in the Niger Delta region where the military can go and confront insurgents.

    “Those carrying out these attacks have adopted a guerilla strategy; hence the solution is for the relevant security to deepen intelligence gathering by working with local communities and not full scale military onslaught on the communities and people.

    “Any full scale military action in the Niger Delta would only succeed in killing innocent people and destruction of communities that are also victims of the militancy. It is worthy to note that Gbaramatu Kingdom that the military has been consistently harassing is not the headquarters of any of the militant groups.

    “The Gbaramatu people are peaceful loving Ijaw people and the military must stop the consistent invasion of Gbaramatu or any other Ijaw community.”