IYC kicks Against Scraping of N/Delta Ministry, Vows to Resist FG with Any Legal Means

IYC kicks Against Scraping of N/Delta Ministry, Vows to Resist FG with Any Legal Means 

...... As Amb. Binebai calls on FG, IOCs to prioritize N'Delta Development for equity, fairness, justice and peace to reign in the country 

Francis Tayor

Warri _______ The ljaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, the umbrella body accomodating ljaw youths spread all over the world, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led federal government of Nigeria to prioritize the speedy development of the Niger Delta ljaw region as well as the Multi-national oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to as a matter of urgency relocate its operational headquarters to the region for the sake of equity, fairness, justice and peace to reign in the country.

The ljaw Youth Council in a Press Briefing held in Warri on Friday 18th August, 2023, organized by the National Spokesman of Council, Amb. Princewill Yerin Binebai in company with the Speaker of IYC Mobile Parliament, Rt. Hon. Bob Collins lgetei and the various Clan Chairmen of IYC Western Zone also called on the Nigerian government for justice over the recent gruesome murder of prospective ljaw son, Mr. Peterside Alafuro by a trigger happy Nigeria police officer in Rivers State.

Amb. Binebai bitterly cautioned Nigerian military against the unprofessional, reckless and unlawful incessant invasion of ljaw communities at every slightest opportunity, noting that Ijaw youths will henceforth use any means justifiable by law to stiffly resist any further attempt by the Nigerian government to maltreat ljaw people in the country.

He warned that any attempt by the Tinubu led federal government to scrap any ministry or commission that has to do with the Niger Delta would be strongly resisted with the last drop of their blood, stressing that ljaw youths mean what they are saying if the reverse is the case of the rumor flying on air.

Amb. Binebai further urged president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release reasonable funds for the smooth operation of the all important Nigeria Maritime University (NMU) Okerenkoko in Delta State, and to quickly collaborate with the National Assembly to facilitate the speedy passage of the bill establishing the higher institution into law.

Finally, Binebai reiterated that ljaw Youth Council will embrace friends of ljaw people in the Nigerian State and as well strongly resist foes of ljaw nation by any means justifiable by the law of the land whenever the need arises.

However, read below full details of the Press Statement.

A Press Briefing Held On This 18th Day Of August 2023 At Warri By The Spokesman Of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill  On The  Worrisome State Of Things In The Nigerian State.

1. I bring greetings from the National President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri and members of the 9th NEC. 

2. This press briefing is holding today to address key issues bedeviling the Ijaw nation in the Nigerian state as well as informing our dear and respectable leaders on the path Council will be towing in the next three years. 

3. As we are aware of, the entire Ijaw Youths across Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Ondo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo States, Lagos and Abuja chapters, together with other leaders of Ijaw nation  gathered at the Gabriel Okara cultural centre in Yenagoa on Saturday the 22nd of July 2023 to produce the 9th leadership of council.

4. It is on this premise that the 9th NEC led by Jonathan Lokpobiri have specially taken interest on the unity of Ijaw Nation. Council as a revolutionary body established to advance the interest and progress of Ijaw nation,  we will continue to be apolitical and will never be seen as a political appendage to a group or persons in line with the ideals of the founding fathers of council. 

5. Council is well aware that the Ijaw people in the Niger Delta region, despite contributing towards the economic and political well-being of the country, the Ijaw people have  not truly been given their fair share in the resources that are produced from their communities. 

6. IYC will continue to prioritise the unity of Ijaw nation for in unity lies our strength hence Prof. Dime, pioneer President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC ) had posited in 1992 at Arogbo in Ondo state that "If Spiders Web Can Unite, They Can Tie Up A Lion " . The unity of Ijaw is important and our march for a better Ijaw nation. 

7. While our thank you cum familiarisation visits to critical stakeholders across Ijaw nation will continue, we want to use this opportunity to thank our leaders and fathers who have opened their doors for us and have given us their blessings to succeed. The 9th NEC have come to add value and will never compromise the Ijaw struggle for anything. 

8. Today, the issues of resource control and self determination which the Kaiama declaration stands for, a declaration that gave birth to the IYC is a matter that Council will continue to pursue, we want to heavily participate in the resources that are extracted from our lands. Never will the Ijaw people beg to get peanuts from their own wealth. 

9. While the Ijaw people will continue to be peaceful and will always embrace one Nigeria, we must sound it clearly that our continued guarantee of peace in Nigeria should be laced with justice, fairness,  equity and political inclusion. It is very sad to note that almost everything that has come to the Niger Delta, particularly to the Ijaw people are all products of agitation and struggle. Nothing has ever been given to the Ijaw people freely. 

10. Henceforth, council will not tolerate and accept the incessant Invasion of Ijaw communities at every slightest opportunity by the Nigerian military. The Ijaw people should not be treated as strangers in this country, people must learn to respect them as critical stakeholders in this country. 

11. Council will not rest until justice is done for the gruesome murder of Peterside Alafuro, an Ijaw from Rivers state that was murdered by a trigger happy police officer in Rivers State, we are calling for justice, we will not allow this evil to be swept under the carpet.

12. Going forward, the Ijaw Youth Council will embrace friends of the Ijaw people in the Nigerian state and will also resist foes of our region and the Ijaw people in particular. Our development and progress will be at the front burner as we engage with critical stakeholders in Nigeria to negotiate a better deal for our people. Never will the Ijaws take the back seat.

13. We are calling on the multinational oil companies to prepare towards relocating their headquarters back to the Niger Delta region that the oil and gas is being milked from. You cannot be drilling and exporting oil from our soil and paying royalty to other state (s). 

14. Any attempt to scrap any ministry or commission that has to do with the Niger Delta will be resisted with the last drop of our blood. This is not a threat but a statement that will become a reality should the reverse becomes the case. 

15. The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) is stating that the bill for the establishment of our precious Nigeria Maritime University, (NMU) Okerenkoko in Delta State has suffered too much legislative hiccups, never have we seen anywhere in the world how a school of such will struggle so hard for survival, the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu must quickly in collaboration with the National Assembly see to the passage of the bill. 

16. The floating dock originally designed for Okerenkoko as a complementary gesture for the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko must without delay be relocated back to Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State. 

17. The PIA provides for 30% from NNPCL profit for oil exploration in frontier basin which are within states in the northern region. While it makes provision for only a paltry 3% operational expenditure for the development of Niger Delta oil bearing communities. This is a monumental imbalance that has given some form of legitimacy by the government of Nigeria to a people that are contributing nothing compared to those that the resources are coming from. On this note, the IYC will constitute a legal team that will critically look at the rationale behind this ugly trend before seeking a proper means of redress through the options available to us as Niger Delta people

18. Finally, we will continue to remain humble and indebted to the Ijaw people. Council will be resolute in pursuing a better and progressive Ijaw nation.

Long Live IYC !

Long live Ijaw Nation !!

Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria !!!.