The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), worldwide has urged the federal government
to be consistent in its bid to resolve the problem of renewed militancy in
the Niger Delta region.
IYC said that the federal government in the past week has displayed
obvious inconsistencies and lack of commitment towards finding a solution
to the renewed hostilities.
According to IYC, it would be recalled recently President Buhari while
meeting with some political and religious leaders pleaded with militants
to give peace a chance and in another occasion said that the federal
government was in the process of identifying the leaders of the different
militant groups with a view to dialogue with them.
Speaking further, IYC spokesman, Eric Omare said few days ago, the
Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,
Abdullahi Muhammadu told Nigerians that the issue of militancy would soon
be a thing of the past as government was already discussing with the
militants.
“However, it shows obvious contradiction and lack of commitment for Vice
President Osinbanjo to state on Friday, July 8, 2016 at Akure that the
federal government is not discussing with the militants because they are
economic saboteurs and not freedom fighters, the group said.
“The IYC is constrained to ask; what is the correct position of the
federal government on efforts at resolving the current hostilities in the
Niger Delta? Is the federal government of Nigeria a boat without a captain
for different officers of government to take different position on same
issue?
“These contradictions clearly show that the federal government lacks any
commitment towards resolving the current hostilities in the Niger Delta
region. The two weeks ceasefire that was earlier declared seems to be a
smokescreen to create the impression that government is committed to
resolving the issues through dialogue whereas there is no such commitment.
“The IYC wishes to state for the umpteenth time that for there to be any
meaningful resolution of the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta,
President Buhari like his predecessors must provide leadership. .
“The clash of centrifugal and centripetal forces within his government
supporting and opposing efforts at resolving the current Niger Delta
hostilities are playing out because of his failure to provide leadership.
“For any federal government effort at resolving the impasse to achieve the
desired result, President Buhari must give a clear direction in order to
gain the confidence of the people of the Niger Delta region and for
officers of his government to key in”, the group reiterated.