An ex-militant has warned Ijaw youngsters not to politicise the crisis in the Niger Delta for their own selfish gain

Amagbein, a former agitator in the Niger Delta, has warned the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) leadership not to politicise the situation of the Niger Delta people in the dispute over the renewal of pipeline surveillance contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

On Saturday, Amagbein issued a statement denouncing the IYC leaders who had marched to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to demand the dismissal of NNPC Limited Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari.

According to the IYC, the protest was caused by non-performance and financial mismanagement, among other things; however, Amagbein denied these accusations.

According to Amagbein, the IYC got involved in partisan oil monitoring politics and lost sight of its original mission.

“It is unfortunate that none of the honorees—Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, MD/CEO of NDDC, and Chief Dennis Otuaru, Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme—remember to express their gratitude to Mr. President for this.”

“The Niger Delta oil politics allegedly have seeped into the inner workings of the IYC, and its top brass have allegedly let surveillance firms dictate the group’s official stance on important issues.”

Ojulari has reportedly stated that NNPCL is being attacked due to his leadership position, according to XANDRTECH.