Ijaw Youth Council Condemns Itsekiri Ultimatum, Reaffirms Ijaw Role in Niger Delta Amnesty Programme
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Western Zone, has strongly rejected threats and historical claims made by a group identifying itself as the Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality Ex-Agitators Forum. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the council described the group’s ultimatum as reckless and divisive, insisting that attempts to rewrite the history of the Niger Delta struggle are misleading and provocative.
The IYC emphasized that the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) was established in response to an Ijaw-led armed resistance against state repression, environmental degradation, and economic marginalization. According to the council, this is an undisputed historical fact and should not be altered to suit present political agendas.
“The creeks where the conflict raged are Ijaw land. The communities that were bombarded, occupied, and reduced to rubble were Ijaw communities. The young men who laid down their arms in their thousands, many of whom paid the ultimate price, were overwhelmingly Ijaw,” the statement said.
The council further highlighted that the Amnesty Programme was created because the Nigerian state could not suppress the Ijaw struggle through force. This foundational reality, it said, must remain central to any discussion about the origin and direction of the Programme. Attempts by any group to present itself as an equal architect of the struggle, the council argued, only distort history and fuel ethnic tension.
The IYC condemned the use of threats targeting oil production or public order as a bargaining tactic, describing such rhetoric as irresponsible. The statement recalled that peace in the Niger Delta was secured through the sacrifices and difficult choices made by Ijaw youths, who prioritized national stability over prolonged conflict.
The council stressed that the leadership and management of the Amnesty Programme must reflect the historical circumstances that gave rise to it, noting that the Ijaw nation remains central to its foundation. While supporting transparency and accountability in the Programme’s administration, the IYC stated it would not tolerate intimidation, ethnic pressure, or manufactured grievances intended to undermine the Ijaw’s central role.
In this context, the IYC expressed confidence in the current leadership of the Amnesty Programme under Dr. Dennis Otuaro. The council described Dr. Otuaro’s stewardship as demonstrating stability, administrative focus, and a clear understanding of the Programme’s delicate history. They praised his efforts in maintaining continuity, engaging key stakeholders, and sustaining peace in the region.
The council also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disregard what it described as “political noisemakers” whose actions are driven by narrow interests rather than the stability of the Niger Delta. The IYC recommended the extension of Dr. Otuaro’s tenure to consolidate ongoing reforms and preserve the fragile peace anchored on the Amnesty framework.
“Those who beat the drums of unrest must remember that peace in the Niger Delta rests on truth and responsibility. Distorting history is not advocacy; it is provocation,” the statement said.
The Ijaw Youth Council, Western Zone, reaffirmed its commitment to peace and national unity. It vowed to continue defending the legacy, sacrifices, and rightful place of the Ijaw people within the Amnesty structure, stressing clarity, resolve, and historical accuracy as key to maintaining stability in the region.
The statement was signed by Comrade Nicholas Tamara-Denyefa Igarama, Chairman of IYC Western Zone, Ebi Joshua Olowolayemo Esq., Secretary, and Comrade Tare Magbei, Information Officer, covering Delta, Edo, and Ondo states.
