Okowa, youths coalition sue for peace in Niger Delta

Peeved by Delta’s fall from the number one oil-producing state in the country to the fourth position, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has again appealed to militants and youths to sustain the existing peace . Okowa, who spoke yesterday in Asaba at the commissioning of a revenue court, 300kva/33kv transformer and poultry built by the Oshimili South local council passionately pleaded with the youths and militants to sheathe their swords and embrace peace for the common good of the people.

According to the governor, “I want to call on our youths and militants to please sheathe their swords and embrace peace, the peace that we have enjoyed within the last two months should be sustained.

“Whatever we do impacts negatively on our people and the environment. I believe that the meeting of Niger Delta and the Presidency will bring positive results and peace to the region,” he said.

Similarly, a coalition of youth groups in the Niger Delta has added its voice to the call for youths to embrace peace and seek non-violent way to resolve the problems in the area.

A statement issued by the Director of Defence Information (DDI) Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar quoted the youth coalition as making the appeal in Abuja when they paid a courtesy call yesterday on the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Gabriel Olonisakin at the Defence headquarters.

Led by Comrade Emeni Ibe, the group said: “Without peace, development would elude the region. We want to commend the military for subduing terrorism and other vices across the nation.”

The youths also “pledged its unflinching support to the amnesty programme of the Federal Government,” which it noted “has helped many youths of the area in the field of training and education with many of erstwhile agitators now economically independent.”

In his response, the CDS represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans at the Defence Headquarters Air Vice Marshal Bashir Saidu said peace is most needed in Nigeria to attract foreign investors and the much-desired development.

“He appealed to other youths in the Niger Delta to emulate the Coalition of Youth Leaders by supporting the efforts of government for rapid development of the Niger Delta region.”