Niger Delta Youths Unmask Forces Behind Violence

Akanimo Sampson

Bureau Chief, Port Harcourt

Niger Delta Youths Unmask Forces Behind Violence

YOUTHS of the Niger Delta have angrily taken on the royal fathers and elders of the oil and gas region, for allegedly failing to act before the current armed confrontation in the region took a turn for the worse. They have also revealed those stoking the fire in the area.

They argued that if the royal fathers and elders had acted and taken the lead in championing for socio0economic and environmental justice, the Niger Delta, according to them, would not have degenerated into the hotbed of violent conflict it is today.

The angry youths also unmasked the forces allegedly stoking the fire in the oil region. For them, those fueling the Niger Delta conflict are illegal oil bunkerers, oil mechants, and corrupt public officials.

Messrs Imoh Okoko and Wellman Warri, chairman and secretary respectibely of the Central Otganising Committee of the Niger Delta Youths Parliament (NDYP) who made these known to our correspondent shortly after their committee meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, yesterday said the time has come for them to initiate a change in the tactics used in the oil region's struggle.

''As a political movement, we are interested in a holistic appeoach in tackling the social, economic, and environmental challenges in the Niger Delta'', they said, insisting that the conflict in the region took a violent turn because the traditional establishment and community elders failed to take the initiative.

While hitting hard on the royal fathers and community elders, they also expressed dismay at what they desctibed as ''unwholesome activities'' of some unnamed royal fathers and elders who allegedly allowed the struggle for justice to be driven by armed youths ''due to their selfish intents''.

They said the NDYP is aimed at aggregating the yearnings and aspirations of youth formations in the oil region.

The Uyo meeting however, condemned in very strong terms the spate of alleged extra-judicial killings, maiming and rape in the area. They equally frowned at the criminal dimension the struggle in the region has taken

While condemning the continuous gas flaring in the area, they called on oil companies to remediate all areas in the region that have been negatively impacted by oil exploration and production activities.

In the mean time, the Ijaw Kene Liberation Movement (IKLM) says they will no longer stand by and watch the people of Egbema Kingdom being marginalised in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.

Chairman of the group, Roman Odoli, claimed that there is no Egbema staff in Warri North Local Government council. ''At the state level, we have no legislator, no commissioner, nothing. We will not continue to be slaves in our homeland. Enough is enouhgh'', he said

The Ijaw group has also warned the American oil giant, Chevron, against the gas project it is planning for Ogun State. ''We will resist any attempt by the oil company to site the gas project outside the Illaje-Ijaw axis'', he said, claiming that such move will further impoverish their people.

ENDS

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