Relocate IOCs to N’Delta, Address Hardship Now or Face Dire Consequences, IYC Warn Tinubu

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The Ijaws Youth Council (IYC) has again warned President Bola Tinubu, to activate plans to relocate the headquarters of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) back to the Niger Delta without further delay or face dire consequences.

The umbrella body of Ijaw youths worldwide also called on the president to immediately address the hardship being faced by Nigerians who are yet to see any specific economic recovery plans of the Federal Government of Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu to make life easier for them.

A statement that was signed by its spokesman of the IYC, Mr. Benabia Princewill, said that Nigerians are dying of hunger and suffering like never before from the modus operandi and the policies of the federal government.

The IYC accused the president of nepotism for appointing his close family members and cronies to juicy offices, adding that President Tinubu has sold Nigeria and Niger Delta assets to his siblings and companies owned by his cronies.

The council expected that the president, his National Security Adviser, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, the National Executive Council and other relevant agencies to take its warning seriously because its members would not accept anything other than immediate relocation of the oil companies’ headquarters back to the region.

The statement reads: “The IYC Worldwide strongly believes that there will be no excuse on the part of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the multinational oil companies in relocating their headquarters as Niger Deltans cannot continue to be sacrificial lambs in this country.

“There should be no argument as the Tinubu led Federal Government of Nigeria has relocated Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos.

“As if this was not enough, it was later followed by announcement from the Central Bank of Nigeria that it would be moving some key departments from the capital, Abuja to Lagos, the country’s commercial nerve centre.

“The Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), also said that it would relocate some of its departments and units from Abuja to Lagos despite spending N70 billion to build new headquarters in Abuja.

“From the foregoing and the high level of nepotism ongoing in other sectors, particularly under the Tinubu’s presidency, we believe firmly that the IOCs headquarters will urgently be relocated to their original base, which is the Niger Delta without any further delay. You cannot rub Peter to pay Paul. This is long overdue and if not done may lead to unimaginable consequences.

“Before our very eyes, Nigerian Agip Oil Company was sold through the back door to Oando, a crony of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“In a similar manner, this is how an attempt was made by the Federal Government of Nigeria in collaboration with Shell to sell off its onshore assets under the guise of divestment to a consortium without giving host communities the right of first refusal coupled with the many years of environmental damage without clean up.

“Too many gerrymandering, political maneuvering and nepotism ongoing in the Tinubu’s led Federal Government of Nigeria, the government must not appear to be on a punitive mission against Nigerians that voted for it.”

The body also stated that the steady fall of the Naira against the dollar, removal of fuel subsidy and the hike in pump price of fuel has made every commodities in the market to go high astronomically, and this has affected virtually every areas of lives in the country, be it transportation, building materials etc.

The Niger Delta people, particularly the Ijaw people, living in the riverine part of the country are more affected in this hike and biting economy.

“For example, if a litre of fuel is sold for N700 in the cities, the riverine communities’ indigenes who solely depend on black market will be buying a litre of fuel above a N1000, this indicates the prices of other commodities they will be buying in the markets that are domiciled in the rural areas.

The statement added that the federal government should be aware that government loses legitimacy when its citizens have no more confidence in it and revolt might be the only available option as citizens would soon take their destinies into their hands.

“The policies of the Tinubu led Federal Government of Nigeria are not working and there is need to review them, we cannot continue to pretend about it. Our people are suffering and dying daily.

“Issues of insecurity in the north are still biting hard for which farmers can no longer go to their farmlands. What Nigerians need now is a sincere commitment on the part of the government in tackling these myriads of issues engulfing the country.

“Finally, as a people, we do not know how much time we have left to continue to remain idle on the face of this brazen neglect of the Ijaw people, the political manipulation and suffering of Niger Delta people and Nigerians has become unending and getting worst by the day.

“we are running out of patience. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, the Government is pushing Nigerians to the wall,” the statement warned.