Tension has erupted in Rivers State as youth groups, under the Niger Delta Youth Council (NDYC), issued an ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, threatening to halt oil production across the region.
The groups demand immediate action on several key issues, including the restoration of Rivers State’s statutory revenue allocation and the cessation of impeachment efforts against Governor Similaye Fubara.
In an open letter addressed to the president, signed by NDYC president Bene Youkore Mamamu, the youth leaders warned that failure to meet their demands within seven days could lead to a shutdown of oil production.
“The oil that fuels this nation flows from our land, the fourth largest and most populated ethnic group in Nigeria,” the letter states, highlighting the region’s significant role in the country’s economy.
The group also expressed outrage over controversial remarks attributed to former Governor Nyesom Wike, in which he allegedly described the Ijaws as a “minority group of the minorities.”
This, they argue, was a provocative and inflammatory statement that threatened to escalate tensions in the region. “We will not allow Wike… to undermine our region and rewrite the history of the Ijaw nation,” the letter continued.
The NDYC is calling on its members to prepare for “decisive action” should their demands remain unmet by the expiration of the seven-day deadline.
