Politics

Niger Delta: Ijaw youths give conditions for peace

Published

8 years ago

May 27, 2016

Niger Delta: Ijaw youths give conditions for peace

Ijaw youths under the aegis of Ijaw Youths Congress (IYC) on Thursday, gave conditions for the return of peace to the Niger Delta and a cessation of the renewed militancy in the region.

The youths, who converged in Effurrun, Warri, Delta State for the annual Major Isaac Boro anniversary celebration, said the first condition for the return of peace and negotiations was the opening of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State, for academic activities.

IYC President, Udengs Eradiri, stated this at the anniversary celebration.

Eradiri said: “People have started discussing. There was a meeting in Abuja yesterday (Wednesday) but I told them that such a meeting would not work.

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“If they want us to talk, they must first open the Maritime University and start admitting students, then we would now sit and talk. The same issues for which Adaka Boro and Ken Saro-Wiwa were killed are the same issues the Avengers are raising.

“There are no Avengers anywhere. Settle these issues and the avengers would fizzle away.”

The youths also warned the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari not to contemplate arresting former President Goodluck Jonathan over the ongoing probe of massive fraud and embezzlement alleged to have taken place under his administration.

According to the youths, government was wrong to have limited its anti-corruption campaign only to the Jonathan regime.

Also speaking at the event, rights activist, Tony Uranta, said: “Isaac Boro and Ken Saro-Wiwa died fighting for the emancipation of the Niger Delta, later we had Asari Dokubo, Tompolo and others. But because Tompolo was taken out, new faces have come up.”

He called on Buhari to reassure Niger Delta youths that the amnesty programme would not be cancelled if the peace in the region was to be sustained, noting that there were many beneficiaries who had not gone on training.

According to him, the cancellation of the programme would further throw the region into another round of militancy which would negatively affect the nation’s already dwindling economy.

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