The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, which represents Ijaw youths, has threatened to shut down oil and gas exploration and production activities in the Niger Delta.
This action comes in response to the alleged exclusion of Ijaw people from bidding on onshore assets by Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Ltd .
In a statement released over the weekend, the IYC Western Zone, led by Comrade Nicholas Igarama, Secretary Ebi Joshua Olowolayemo Esq, and Information Officer Tare Magbei, condemned SPDC’s actions.
The statement reads, “We, the leadership and entire membership of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Western Zone, have persistently warned the management of Shell Petroleum Development Company of dangers ahead if they do not review the controversial bidding processes for Ijaw sons and daughters to fully participate in the onshore assets biddings of the company.”
The IYC accused SPDC of showing disregard for qualified Ijaw applicants and of exacerbating environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.
They said, “The disregard for our people who are clearly qualified to partake in the biddings for these onshore assets that have massively contributed to the high-level environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, clearly substantiates the fact that SPDC deliberately spikes the hazards that have engulfed our region.”
The council highlighted the negative impact of SPDC’s activities on their environment and livelihoods. “Our lands, rivers, and ecosystems have been polluted, resulting in the loss of livelihood for our people who rely on fishing and farming. The health and well-being of our communities have also been severely affected by the constant flaring of gas and oil spills.”
The IYC also condemned SPDC for not including interested Ijaws in the bidding process and accused the company of injustice. “The non-inclusion of interested Ijaws in the onshore assets biddings is another level of injustice meted out on us by SPDC, particularly with the fact that Ijaw sons and daughters who applied for it were promised a response but received none.”
The council warned that they will take drastic measures if their concerns are not addressed. “We have agreed to occupy all SPDC facilities and subsequently shut down oil and gas exploration activities in our region because what is happening here cannot happen anywhere in the world. SPDC cannot reap Peter to pay Paul, and we say enough is enough of this hatred.”
The IYC called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to intervene. They urged these officials to “take appropriate action and call the management of SPDC to order.”
