The umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, has implored the youth of the Niger Delta to desist from actions that will give the excuse for the military to unleash onslaught on the region.
The group’s President, Mr. UdengsEradiri, said this at the headquarters of IYC, Izon House, Yenagoa, on Thursday when he received officials of the Niger Delta Youth Forum that honoured him with an Award of Excellence for his exemplary leadership.
He urged the youth to maintain law and order and desist from any action that could trigger a reaction from military forces. He made reference to what the military is doing in Cross River and AkwaIbom states.
Eradiri said, “So, if you are kidnappers, don’t use our environment to kidnap. If you are pirates, leave the Ijaw environment because we do not want a situation, where your activities will bring calamities to the Niger Delta.
“I have been talking to many youths, we must give the current administration in the country the opportunity to work.”
He also condemned the military for the random bombings of parts of the Niger Delta under the guise of arresting sea pirates.
Eradiri said even though the group was opposed to criminalities in the region, the random bombings were a ploy to harm the Niger Delta people.
“If this bombing is one of their modus of maintaining peace in the region, it is a negative way,” he said.
The IYC President called on the military authorities to device a more workable approach of fishing out criminals in the region instead of bombing entire communities in search of sea pirates.