Radicalized ijaw youth organization, Ijaw Youth Council has expressed
concern whether the Buhari’s administration has returned Nigeria to
pre-colonial and independence Royal Niger Company days where international
companies govern Nigeria.
IYC spoke in reaction to President Buhari,’s assertion on Thursday that his
government is negotiating with Niger Delta militants through oil companies
and law enforcement agencies during the farewell audience with Mr. Michael
Zinner, the outgoing Ambassador to Germany.
According to IYC, the President was deceiving Nigerians and international
community about talks with Niger Delta militants.
IYC spokesman, Eric Omare said that it was ridiculous and laughable for the
President to claim the government was in talk with the militants through
the IOCs.
IYC said that the action of the government amounts to surrounding the
sovereignty of Nigeria to international oil companies.
The group expressed concern that with the development, the Buhari’s
administration may have returned Nigeria to pre-colonial and independence
Royal Niger Company days where international companies govern Nigeria.
The statement said; “The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide says that
President Buhari and the federal government of Nigeria should stop
deceiving Nigerians and the international community about talks with Niger
Delta militants on how to stop attacks on oil facilities in the Niger
Delta region.
“It is highly ridiculous and laughable for President Buhari to say that his
government is negotiating with Niger Delta militants through oil companies
and law enforcement agencies during the farewell audience with Mr. Michael
Zinner, the outgoing Ambassador to Germany on Thursday, the 21st of July,
2016.
“It is even embarrassing for the President of an independent nation such
as Nigeria to say that it is oil companies that are negotiating for peace
with Niger Delta agitators which in effect amounts to surrounding the
sovereignty of Nigeria to international oil companies.
“The IYC wonder if Nigeria is back to the pre-colonial and independence
Royal Niger Company days where international companies govern Nigeria.
“The point must be made that the issues at stake are completely beyond the
capacity of oil companies to resolve.
“For the umpteenth time, the IYC call on the Aides and Advisers to
President Buhari to properly advise him on how to solve the current
hostilities in the Niger Delta region and equally display a determination
to resolve the problem as his predecessors did.
“Only a sincere and holistic dialogue with the people of the Niger Delta
region which is aimed at addressing the remote causes of recurrent
militancy can bring permanent peace to the Niger Delta region.
“This can only happen when President Buhari as the political leader of
Nigeria come down to the negotiation table”, it said.