MILITANCY: IYC BERATES FG, SAYS NO SINCERITY

The Ijaw Youth Council on Saturday berated the Federal Government for what it described as its contradictory statements and lack of willingness to end the renewed attacks in the Niger Delta region.

The group was reacting to Friday’s statement by Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo in Akure, Ondo State, where he reportedly said the Federal Government would not negotiate with economic saboteurs parading as freedom fighters.

According to Osinbanjo, the Federal Government is not discussing with the militants because they are economic saboteurs and not freedom fighters.

A statement issued by the spokesman of IYC, Eric Omare, indicated that to end the militancy in the region, President Muhammadu Buhari, like his predecessors, must provide quality leadership.

It stated that the Federal Government in the past weeks had displayed inconsistencies and lack of commitment towards finding a lasting solution to the renewed attacks by militants bombing oil installations in the region.

While noting that the Federal Government should not be seen to double speak, it added, “It would be recalled recently that President Muhammadu Buhari while meeting with some political and religious leaders pleaded with the militants to give peace a chance and in another occasion, he said the Federal Government was in the process of identifying the leaders of the different militant groups with a view to dialoguing with them.

“Also, a 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.”

While stating that such contradictions by the President’s men testified to the fact that the government was insincere to the ending the unrest in the region, the group noted that such contradictions clearly showed that the Federal Government lacked any commitment towards resolving the current hostilities in the region.

Copyright PUNCH.