Tension Deepens as IYC, Ogoni Youths Reject NASS Invite, Demand Control of Pipeline Surveillance
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Tensions have risen in Rivers State as key youth organisations, including the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and the National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP), rejected claims that they were invited to a National Assembly engagement on pipeline surveillance and crude oil theft.
The groups insisted they were not part of the discussions, despite being frontline stakeholders in pipeline protection across oil-producing communities.
Source: Original
Peaceful protest in Gokana
In response, the groups organised a peaceful protest in Gokana Local Government Area, marching through major communities with placards to express their grievances and renew calls for the decentralisation of pipeline surveillance contracts.
The demonstrators said their exclusion undermines efforts to address oil theft and weakens collaboration between authorities and host communities.
Stakeholders condemn exclusion
Speaking during the protest, President of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Dr Alaye Tari Theophilus, described the situation as unacceptable, stressing that critical stakeholders cannot be ignored in decisions affecting their communities.
He called on the Presidency and the Office of the National Security Adviser to intervene urgently, noting that decentralising surveillance responsibilities would empower host communities and improve security outcomes.
According to him, locals possess a deep understanding of the terrain, waterways, and movement patterns, placing them in a stronger position to detect and prevent pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.
He added that decentralisation would ensure quicker responses to threats, reduce bureaucratic delays, and strengthen grassroots intelligence gathering.
Call for fairness and inclusion
Also addressing protesters, President of the National Youth Council of Ogoni People, Marcus Raymond Nwibani, said the demonstration was driven by the demand for fairness, inclusion, and justice.
He warned that sidelining host communities erodes trust and weakens the fight against oil theft, stressing that meaningful inclusion is essential for sustainable results.
Nwibani further noted that decentralisation would create jobs for thousands of youths, reduce poverty, and discourage involvement in illegal oil activities.
Ogoni youths decry marginalisation
President of the Ogoni Youths Federation, Emmanuel Bie, lamented what he described as the continued marginalisation of Ogoni people despite decades of oil exploration in the region.
He pointed out that Ogoni land hosts more than forty oil wells, yet indigenous participation in pipeline surveillance remains minimal.
Bie argued that involving host communities directly would promote ownership, reduce sabotage, and enhance accountability.
Push for reforms and transparency
The youth leaders collectively maintained that decentralising pipeline surveillance contracts would improve transparency, reduce corruption linked to centralised systems, and minimise conflict by ensuring fair representation.
They also stressed that host communities, as the primary victims of environmental degradation from oil spills, have a stronger incentive to protect infrastructure.
The groups concluded that involving local stakeholders is the most effective and sustainable strategy for tackling crude oil theft and ensuring lasting peace in the Niger Delta.
Source: Legit.ng
