Niger Delta Militancy: Ijaw Youths Open up to Buhari on the Way Forward...See Details

Posted by George on Thu 23rd Jun, 2016 - tori.ng

Buhari has been urged to lead the negotiation with the rampaging Niger Delta militants to show commitment on the part of the Federal Government.

The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide which has been a strong voice of the Ijaw youths of the Niger Delta region have advised President Muhammadu Buhari on how to address the issue of Niger Delta militancy which is crippling the Nigerian economy through the bombing of oil pipelines.

The South-south group according to the Punch has appealed to Buhari to lead the negotiation process with the representatives of the militant groups. This, according to the IYC will express the profound seriousness of the Nigerian government to end the unrest in the region.

The President of IYC, Udengs Eradiri, who spoke with journalists in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Wednesday, said it was only when the President took the bull by the horns, by sitting at the head of the negotiation table, like his predecessors, that there would be a lasting solution to the crises in the region.

Eradiri further declined to participate in the negotiation process unless Buhari comes on board to command the obedience and cooperation of the stakeholders.

Eradiri said, “There is nothing on ground; I don’t trust the process (dialogue). There have been a plethora of negotiations in the past. All this government needs to do is to take a holistic approach to the problems of the Niger Delta. The issue is not about the Niger Delta people or the Ijaw; it is about leadership failure in Nigeria.

“That’s why I have been praying for the President to be hale and hearty; the President should stand up, take the lead in solving the problems. There are success stories of his predecessors taking such steps.

“That’s why the groundnut pyramid disappeared, when the government was not ready to cure the epidemic that was in vogue then. Cocoa disappeared from the South-West when they could not face it. Tomatoes are disappearing, because leadership is not responsible.

“If Ebola comes now, Nigerians will all die because of the present attitude of government. The problem has been the failure of leadership, it is failing; let us restructure Nigeria.”