The leadership of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Worldwide have scolded President Mohammadu Buhari over a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Garba Shehu warning Niger Delta agitators to negotiate or face the Boko Haram treatment, stressing that the government cannot win peace with force.
IYC made the call in a Press Statement issued today by its Spokesman Barr. Eric Omare while reacting to the statement credited to Mr. Garba Shehu at Kenya.
Omare, while condemning the statement alleged that it is prejudicial and reckless to peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta region while describing the statement as a display of the federal government lack of commitment in the ongoing negotiation.
“We have just read a press statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Affairs, Mr. Garba Shehu in Nairobi, Kenya wherein President Buhari while discussing with the Japanese leader warned Niger Delta agitators to negotiate or face the Boko Haram treatment.” The statement noted.
The Spokesman further alleged that the federal government have made up its mind to use force against the people of Niger Delta communities while using the medium in alerting Nigerians and the International community that the present government is executing a predetermined agenda against the Niger Delta to attack and kill innocent people.
It added: “The IYC condemn the statement and state that it is reckless and prejudicial to peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta. The statement completely displays the federal government lack of commitment towards negotiation because there is no basis to threaten Niger Deltans with the Boko Haram treatment when discussions are ongoing and considering the fact that the circumstances of the Niger Delta are different from the Boko Haram crisis.
“This is because the militants attacking oil facilities are not stationed in any particular place to justify the federal government threat to give Niger Delta militants the Boko Haram treatment. It would also be recall that Buhari’s antagonistic posture towards the Niger Delta region partly contributed to the renewed militancy. President Buhari and his advisers should know that force and war can never win them peace to continue with the exploitation of the Niger Delta oil resources. You may win war with force but you cannot win peace with force. ” The IYC expressed.
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