The President of the congress, Mr Boma Obuoforibo, said in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, that military option would neither be in the interest of the people of the region nor further the objective of the government in the long run.
For this reason, Obuoforibo called, “on President Muhammadu Buhari to disregard calls for military campaign against the restive youth as peaceful discourse remains the best option in resolving the issues in the Niger Delta”.
He pointed out that the use of dialogue had become necessary since the youth had heeded their leaders’ admonition within and outside the region to ceasefire, and were ready to talk with the government.
“It is expedient that comments and actions that would aggravate the situation should be avoided.
“We equally implore the government to urgently demilitarise and withdraw the military from all of our communities,” Okrika-born Ijaw leader pleaded.
According to Obuoforibo, Ijaw people are not adversaries to the government of President Buhari.
“We commend the president for the launch of Ogoni clean-up and steps taken so far for its full implementation.
“We hope that other areas in the Niger Delta equally impacted by oil pollution will be given similar considerations,” he said.
The INC chief said one major reason why the crisis in the Niger Delta had lingered without any meaningful solution was insincerity on the part of successive governments and operators of the oil sector.
Obuoforibo emphasised that after over five decades of oil exploration and exploitation, and despite the huge wealth created for the nation by the sector, the benefits had not impacted on the majority of the people in the region.
He regretted that the land, rivers and creeks in the area had been devastated, while communities remained with some of the worst living conditions.
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