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#EndBadGovernance: IYC Distances Self From Planned Protest, Gives Reason

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The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Western Zone, has distanced itself from the planned protest themed #EndBadGovernance, which is slated to hold from August 1st to 10th, 2024 in Nigeria.

The apex body of Ijaw youths worldwide said it was “not duly consulted by the proposed protest organisers in the design of their demands.”

In a statement jointly issued by Comrade Nicholas Igarama,
Chairman, IYC Western Zone; Ebi Joshua Olowolayemo, Esq, Secretary, and Comrade Tare Magbei, Information Officer, the Western Zone IYC, while admitting that “Nigeria is currently faced with diverse and severe economic hardship,” however said the planned protest “has so much unexplainable undertones and symptoms of a revolution, and bears so much risk.”

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READ ALSO: PROTEST: Be Patient With Tinubu; Revamp, Reformation In Economy On Course – Otuaro

The IYC, Western Zone said the proposed protest lacks a unified and strategic leadership structure, adding “this ambiguity can lead to mismanagement of the protests, reducing their effectiveness and increasing the risk of unintended consequences.”

The IYC statement reads in part: “That demands that bothers on the development of the Niger Delta like the East-West Road, environmental remediation of the Niger Delta are not captured in the proposed protest.

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“There is a need for all IOCs to relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta region to boost the economic fortune of the Niger Delta region, this was not captured in the demands for the nationwide protest.

“That the intentional exclusion of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of the Niger Delta People from their onshore divestment initiative that is a major concern for the Niger Delta people is not also captured in the demands of nationwide protest.

READ ALSO: PROTEST: FG Finally Suspend Import Duty On Essential Food Items

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“As a community, we treat with respect the counsel of the National Executive Council and prominent leaders of the Ijaw nation, and their calls for us to shun the protest is based on a deep understanding of the potential risks involved.

“While we recognize the importance of addressing bad governance at the national level, it is crucial that we also focus on local issues that directly impact the Ijaw nation. Our energies should be directed towards tackling challenges within our immediate environment,” the statement added.

The leadership of the IYC in western zone, called on the Federal Government “to discontinue the divestment of the onshore assets of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) until Ijaw sons and daughters are captured in the bidding and sales process.”

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“The deliberate denial mete out on our people in the sale of assets domiciled in Ijaw will not be tolerated, and as promised, we will shutdown oil and gas exploration activities of the SPDC if our sons and daughters are not given room to be part of the divestment process,” the IYC said.

The IYC, Western Zone, therefore”advised all Ijaw youths to abstain from the proposed #EndBadGovernance protest owing to the aforementioned standpoints of Council.”

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Delta-billionaire Lawuru To Grace Ijaw Media Conference As Guest Of Honour

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The President of Egbema Brotherhood, Alaowei Promise Lawuru, is expected to grace the forthcoming Ijaw Media Conference 2025, as a guest of honour.

The event is scheduled to hold on December 3rd, 2025, in Warri, Delta State.

The annual media conference organised by the Ijaw Publishers Forum with the theme ‘Safeguarding Niger Delta’s Natural Resources for Future Generations,’ is second edition of the series.

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Lawuru, youthful politician and businessman’s willingness to appear as guest of honour was made known
when a delegation of the Central Working Committee led by Pastor Arex Akemotubo paid him a visit to inform him of the forthcoming event and his expected role.

READ ALSO:IPF Holds Annual Ijaw Media Conference December

In his presentation, Akemotubo explained that this year’s theme was chosen out of concern for the growing strain on the region’s land and waters.

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The Publisher of WaffiTV stressed that the forum wants to strengthen public understanding, support honest reportage, and encourage leaders to protect what the Niger Delta holds for the next generation.

He addex that Lawuru’s history of service and steady involvement in community work made him a natural choice for the role.

READ ALSO:IPF Commends Tompolo’s Commitment To Security In Delta, Nigeria

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Chief Lawuru welcomed the invitation and spoke warmly about the need for shared responsibility among stakeholders and groups such as the IPF.

He commended the forum for using the media to defend the region’s interests and promised full support for the conference.

Lawuru further urged other stakeholders across the Ijaw nation to lend their weight to efforts that safeguard the environment.

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Senate Recommends Death Penalty For Kidnappers

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The Senate has passed a resolution classifying kidnapping as an act of terrorism, stipulating that an amendment to the Terrorism Act be made to impose the maximum penalty of death.

The resolution was made during plenary on Wednesday.

Under the new law, according to the upper legislative arm, once a kidnapping conviction is established, the death penalty must be applied.

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Nigeria suffers from a persistent security crisis fuelled by attacks and violence by “bandit” gangs that raid villages, kill people, and kidnap for ransom.

READ ALSO:Senate Uncovers $300bn Unaccounted Crude Oil Sales

In response to recent kidnappings and attacks by terrorists, President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday ordered a total security cordon over the forests in Kwara State.

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Series Of Abductions

Bandits had struck the Isapa community of the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, abducting 11 residents.

The attack came about two weeks after and 38 worshippers were abducted from a Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in the Eruku community of the state.

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Terrorists also attacked St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Niger State, abducting more that 300 school children and staff in a resurgence of the mass kidnappings that have long harrowed Africa’s most populous country.

READ ALSO:Bill To Establish Federal Oil And Gas Hospital In Delta Scales Second Reading In Senate

In the same week, 24 schoolgirls were taken from the Government Comprehensive Girls Secondary School, Maga, Danko Wasagu Local Government Area in Kebbi State, but regained freedom on Tuesday.

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At least 50 taken from St Mary’s Catholic school also managed to escape, but more than 265 children and teachers are still being held.

Nigeria’s high-profile mass kidnapping was that of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, when Boko Haram forced 276 girls from their dormitories in the North-East region.

More than a decade later, man of the Chibok girls are still missing.

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FG Threatens To Seize Dana Air Assets

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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has disclosed that the Federal Government may recover and sell the assets of Dana Air to refund passengers and travel agents whose funds remain trapped following the suspension of the airline’s operations.

The Minister disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the Ministry’s fourth quarter stakeholders’ engagement to enhance governance for effective service delivery in aviation with the theme: “leveraging public feedback to drive excellence in aviation services”.

According to him, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will be directed to probe why funds trapped by the airline are yet to be refunded.

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He revealed that the Authority suspended the operations of the airline as a matter of choice between safety and disaster.

READ ALSO:NCAA Petitions IGP Over KWAM 1’s Unruly Conduct In Abuja Airport

“For Dana, the problem is that it was a choice between safety and disaster. So we didn’t take the commercial thing as priority. The priority was safety, and we all looked at the damning reports that we had met on the table.

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“It was a decision of the NCAA to suspend them, but I pushed them to say, look, these are the reports we are seeing on the table about safety record, about lack of standards that put the lives of Nigerians at risk. If they continue flying, I don’t know whether most of us will be here. Many of us would have been victims of one of those flights. God forbid.”

According to him, “I have asked Najomo to dig deep to find out how those passengers and agents will be refunded. He has to dig deep on that.

“One solution will also be that if that same individual or those entities are trying to come back to aviation under any guise, whether to go and register a new AOC or use any business within the aviation sector, they have to go and settle their debts first.

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READ ALSO:NCAA Seeks K1 De Ultimate’s Arrest, Petitions AGF, IG

We should look at their assets. There are assets that are still available. Let them sell their assets. Let’s cannibalize their revenue and pay people. Let’s find a way to go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed.

“NCAA should do that because they can’t get away with it.”

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