In a statement signed by the IYC National Legal Adviser, Igbeta Ayebakuro and its national spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka, obtained by SaharaReporters, the organisation stated that it will not be party to any agenda aimed at "conning the people out of opportunities".
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has thrown its weight behind former militants and youth from the 111 communities under Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30, Delta State.
The youth had stormed the Delta State Government House, Asaba, to protest the "violent infringement and deliberate attempt" by one Captain Hosa Okunbo, chairman of Ocean Marine company, to "render thousands of Delta State youth jobless by taking away pipeline surveillance jobs from them. [story_link align="left"]64731[/story_link]
Speaking on the protest carried out by Delta State ex-militants and youth, IYC warned that it will not condone a situation where the interest of the people of Niger Delta region are "tampered with" especially.
In a statement signed by the IYC National Legal Adviser, Igbeta Ayebakuro and its national spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka, obtained by SaharaReporters, the organisation stated that it will not be party to any agenda aimed at "conning the people out of opportunities".
The statement read: "The statement that came out of the council in the last two days, on the choice of some group of youth and former agitators from communities that fall within OML 30, who had embarked on a protest taking their plea to the Delta State Government over their fears of being displaced and deprived of their legitimately guaranteed daily bread, by forces they consider to be using all means, including unlawful and brutal means, was not issued with an intent to support injustice against our own.
"Though, as we earlier noted, Ocean Marine and its owner, Captain Hosa Okunbo, are also from Niger Delta and we do not believe they should be discriminated in any form, but we must state, unequivocally, that the initial information provided by Ocean Marine and its drivers was less than truthful and we are of the view that inadequate information was provided to mislead the council.
"To this end, it is the opinion of the IYC that no genuine Niger Delta person or group should do anything to hurt the interest of the people of the region and in this instance, the hard-working youths and ex-agitators from the OML 30 communities in Delta State.
"This message is directed to Ocean Marine and its management to back off from using the current unwholesome and illegal methods they are employing to forcefully seize the pipeline security jobs from the current operators. We will not be used to validate oppression of our brothers."