Ijaw youths wail as army deployment stir chaos in Niger Delta Soonest Nathaniel 31 minutes ago 13169 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Send email – Ijaw youths are not at ease with the recent massive deployment of security operatives to the Niger Delta – The IYC has raised a voice against flooding the Niger Delta with soldiers – The youths have called for intelligence gathering as against all out confrontational approach to Niger Delta issues The Federal Government’s decision to send more troops to the Niger Delta to protect oil installations has stirred some tension among the residents of the region. The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Worldwide has frowned at the development, terming it as “ineffective” According to Daily Post, the umbrella body of Ijaw youths pointed out that the presence of the military and other security agents have not done much in curbing the incidence of oil theft, kidnapping, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities in the area, rather the situation worsens by the day. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Ijaw youths File: Some Ijaw youths in a protest march READ ALSO: Biafra brutality: Tension as evidence shows army’s brutal attack on IPOB protesters (video) The IYC, in a statement issued on Thursday, February 18 by its spokesman, Eric Omare stated that they had always insisted that in some cases, security agents, contractors and even oil company workers were complicit in the illegalities going on in the region. He said: “The Federal Government cannot claim ignorance of these facts with the security apparatus at its disposal. “Instead of sending more troops who would come and commit more inconveniences to the people of the region such as intimidation, harassment of innocent villagers and unnecessary arrests, we call for quality intelligence gathering on the role of oil companies’ workers, contractors and security agents on the attacks on oil facilities.” The spokesman said the people and communities of the oil-rich region must be fully engaged in the fight against crime if solution to the problem of attacks on oil facilities must be reached. He maintained that sending all the soldiers in the country to the area will only add to the disheartening problems of the region. Meanwhile, in a bid to stop the increasing protests by the pro-Biafra groups, the Nigerian army has said it is planning to relocate troops to Aba. According to Brigadier General Lawrence Fejokwu, commanding officer of 14 Brigade Ohafia, Aba has become a hot spot because of the activities of the Biafrans campaigning for the actualization of a sovereign state of Biafra, as well as the revival of kidnapping and sundry crimes.
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