LEAVE IYC AND IJAW NATION OUT OF NIGER DELTA AVENGERS ANTICS

We have been intimated about reports in an online medium containing a statement from a faceless group that calls itself the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers and signed by a Pseudonym called Cynthia Whyte that named some key Niger Delta Activists, Media personalities and politicians including former President Goodluck Jonathan, Governors Nyesom Wike and Seriake Dickson, Senator Godswill Akpabio,  Kingsley Kuku, Udengs Eradiri among others as sponsors of the Niger Delta Avengers.

But for the fact that our noble organisation, the Ijaw Youth Council was mentioned in relations to our erstwhile interim President Udengs Eradiri, which the group said is "also known as Brigadier General Murdoch Agbinibo" and "serve as the NDA’s chief spokesman"; and the enormity of our ignoring  this lame attempt at linking the IYC to the hostilities of the Avengers, we would not have dignified them with a response. Nonetheless, given that our silence would mislead the unsuspecting public and embolden the source of the publication,  we have decided to set the record straight.

For the sake of clarity, we want to state unequivocally that Udengs Eradiri is no longer the President of the IYC. A court of competent jurisdiction seating in sagbama Bayelsa state has summon him from parading himself as IYC President. IYC is not Udengs Eradiri's private estate. Therefore, we urge those who have personal or business quarrels with him not to drag the name of the Council into their tussles. The IYC and the entire Ijaw Nation distance ourselves from the Niger Delta Avengers and any splinter group from it as well as all their sponsors.

Moreso, for the avoidance of doubt, we want the world to know that although we do not know who the NDA are, we are confident that they are not Ijaw people and do not speak for the Ijaws or the Niger Delta Region. They have identified that we have an unresolved problem and are trying to exploit that for their own personal aggrandisement. The abject material state of the Ijaw man and the Niger Delta is no longer breaking news. The whole world is aware that the Niger Delta is underdeveloped despite the huge resources that has been taken from it. So these people masking as freedom fighters are trying to catch in on this to exploit our plight as a tool to enrich themselves. Their actions do not reflect the true spirit of the Niger Delta Struggle. Our struggle in the IYC is in line with the principles of our illustrious forebearers like Isaac Adaka Boro,  Harold Dappa-Biriye, the Brave authors of Kaiama Declaration,  Ken Saro-Wiwa among others. The character, actions and antics of the NDA and their co-travellers,  like the so called RNDA do not reflect the yearnings and aspirations of our land and people. This is because they are actually impoverishing our region and degrading our environment with their mindless destruction of Oil Facilities.

Finally we call on the Security Agencies to intensify efforts to fish out the real faces behind the NDA mask, just as we advise our youths to be law abiding and go about your lawful business. These are trying times, but we shall overcome with God on our side.  We must not allow profiteers to exploit our collective pains for their private gains.

Signed

Elvis Donkemezuo
President Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide