In fulfilment of its promise to stage a protest to demand the appointment of a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has commenced the process of occupying the Niger Delta region.
In Bayelsa State, the IYC Worldwide shut down the Bayelsa office of the NDDC and equally blocked the Mbiama-axis of the East-West road for a protest that caused gridlock for several hours.
A massive crowd of IYC members, with IYC flags, was said to have stopped traffic along the ever-busy East-West Road causing serious gridlock.
The Yenagoa office of the NDDC which has been shut down has the IYC flag hung on the gate.
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) had given a 30-day ultimatum, which expired on Tuesday, May 25, for the Federal Government and the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs to constitute the board or risk total shutdown of the Niger Delta.
The IYC national president, Peter Timothy Igbifa, was said to have been kidnapped by unknown masked gunmen yesterday, ostensibly in an attempt to foil today’s protest
Igbifa was on his way to the Port Harcourt International Airport on Tuesday to board a flight to Abuja for a meeting when the gunmen blocked his vehicle and whisked him away to an unknown destination.
But the resilient IYC youths mobilised themselves and have taken to the streets.
First, they shut down the NDDC office in Yenagoa before heading to block the East-West Road.
The IYC youths are asking for the constitution of a substantive board of NDDC, instead of a sole administrator running a one-man show.
The IYC is also not pleased with the administration of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, and have therefore asked for his immediate resignation.
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