IYC condemns Buhari for deploying troops to region

The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYC) has condemned President Buhari for ordering troops to be deployed to the Niger-Delta region.

The IYC said only dialogue and constructive engagement of the indigenes of the communities where the pipelines are located, will bring a lasting solution.

Punch reports that the IYC spokesman, Eric Omare, 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.”

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Adding that “There should be an incentive based legal framework to make the communities where oil facilities are located stakeholders in the oil produced in their communities.”

You will recall that on Monday, February 15, 2016, President Buhari ordered the deployment of soldiers to the Niger Delta region,following the incessant vandalisation of crude oil pipelines and abduction of citizens for ransom in the coastal areas.