Tensions have reached a boiling point in Rivers State as the Niger Delta Youth Council (NDYC) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, threatening to cripple Nigeria’s oil production if their demands are not met. The youth group is demanding an immediate end to alleged political sabotage against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the reinstatement of the state’s statutory revenue allocation, and a public retraction of controversial remarks made by former Governor Nyesom Wike, which they claim insulted the Ijaw people.
We Are Ready to Shock the World
In a strongly worded open letter to the President, NDYC President Bene Youkore Mamamu warned that if their demands are ignored, they will take decisive actionby shutting down oil production across the entire Niger Delta region a move that could plunge Nigeria’s already struggling economy into crisis.
The oil that fuels this nation flows from our land, the NDYC declared. *“We will not allow Wike, who we suspect is being used by the Presidency, to sabotage our region and rewrite Ijaw history.
The group also accused the Tinubu administration of empowering Wike and the judiciary to intimidate and undermine the Ijaw people, particularly through alleged efforts to impeach Governor Fubara and seize Rivers State’s allocation.
Presidency’s Alleged ‘War’ Against the Niger Delta
The NDYC further alleged that the federal government has launched a systematic attack on the Niger Delta region, with Wike as its chief enforcer. They claim Wike’s reported remarks calling the Ijaws a ‘minority within minorities are not just offensive but amount to a declaration of economic and political war against their people.
We are angry that Tinubu’s government has empowered Wike and the judiciary to undermine the Niger Delta with regular threats to impeach Governor Fubara, insult late Pa Edwin Clark, and erase Ijaw history,the letter stated.
Nigeria’s Oil at Risk: Will the Government Blink First?
With the countdown now ticking, the NDYC has urged its members to begin mobilizing to disrupt oil production across the region once the seven-day deadline expires. If this threat materializes, it could lead to a devastating economic fallout, cutting off Nigeria’s primary source of revenue.
The looming showdown puts President Tinubu in a tight corner will he act swiftly to de-escalate the situation, or will his administration risk an all-out economic crisis by ignoring the Niger Delta’s warning?
