Odahiekwu Ogunde, Yenagoa
A militant group, the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, has lambasted the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide for their protest over the yet-to-be-constituted substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
The 21st CYNDAC in a statement on Wednesday by its Coordinator, Izon Ebi, contended that the protest was unwarranted, misguided and unthinkable.
It also demanded a thorough investigation into the purported kidnap of the President of the IYC, Comrade Peter Igbifa.
The group said it was absurd and ridiculous that the lYC leadership had commercialised the struggle with disgruntled stakeholders to bring the reverred name of the IYC into disrepute by allegedly fanning the embers of disunity among the Niger Delta people.
It said the demonstration was uncalled for now that all regions are forming a common security outfit to protect their people and their region from the raging security challenges across the country.
The 21st CYNDAC said, “The issue of Niger Delta security is supposed to be championed by the IYC for the protection of the people of the region rather, it is being jettisoned because of greed for quick money.
“Andoni in Rivers State, the hometown of the IYC president in Rivers State, is in pains and disarray. Cultists and sea pirates are on the prowl, ransacking seven communities and closing down schools in most of the communities.
“The purported kidnapping of the IYC president calls for sober reflection among our political leaders and royal fathers. IYC should have a rethink and allow the noble intention of President Muhammadu Buhari on forensic audit of the NDDC to be achieved.
“The forensic audit ordered by the President was applauded and accepted by the governors of the Niger Delta states and royal fathers to ascertain what went wrong in the alleged mismanagement of about N19 trn without anything to show for it in the region.
“We should allow the forensic audit to be concluded and a proper template put in place for an effective service delivery for the people of the Niger Delta before the inauguration of the substantive board.”
The group, therefore, called on High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, King of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Tom, and other prominent leaders to save the Niger Delta so that the protest will not snowball into another round of unrest and agitations that won’t do the region any good.
“This is a very important time in our history to be united as one Niger Delta,” the group counselled.