Ijaw women, under the auspices of Women Initiatives for Values, Empowerment and Sustainability, have lampooned recalcitrant ex-militants who invaded the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), in Warri, Delta State, on Tuesday.
The group's president and former executive member of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Tonbra Kasikoro, denounced the group. She said the aggrieved ex-militants are ungrateful for the support of the vibrant Warri press in the agitation for a better deal for the oil-rich region.
The group's president and former executive member of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Tonbra Kasikoro, denounced the group. She said the aggrieved ex-militants are ungrateful for the support of the vibrant Warri press in the agitation for a better deal for the oil-rich region.
Kasikoro said this morning, particularly faulted the crude method adopted by the youths, stressing that there are better ways for them to express their grievance with the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which she said, has recorded more results that all ministers from the region.
She said the Kingsley Kuku-led programme "is working and this is evident from the fact that oil production has reached its highest level in decades, as confirmed by the NNPC. That is enough proof that Kuku is getting it right."
She described the programme's training and skills acquisition programme, as a refreshing break from past efforts of "giving out fishes", adding that it is the best way to empower youths of the region.
"They should not allow the essence of the programme to be lost in their individual pursuits because it is intended to equip them with the required skills and knowledge to become independent and contribute to national development."
Kasikoro lamented that the action of the militants, under the guise of Phase II amnesty trainees, was capable of painting Niger Delta youths as loafers who are merely in search of handouts.
Consequently, she admonished all aggrieved persons to take their issues to the amnesty office rather than engaging in attacks such as that on the NUJ and other acts capable of casting the programme and Kuku in bad light.
She described the programme's training and skills acquisition programme, as a refreshing break from past efforts of "giving out fishes", adding that it is the best way to empower youths of the region.
"They should not allow the essence of the programme to be lost in their individual pursuits because it is intended to equip them with the required skills and knowledge to become independent and contribute to national development."
Kasikoro lamented that the action of the militants, under the guise of Phase II amnesty trainees, was capable of painting Niger Delta youths as loafers who are merely in search of handouts.
Consequently, she admonished all aggrieved persons to take their issues to the amnesty office rather than engaging in attacks such as that on the NUJ and other acts capable of casting the programme and Kuku in bad light.
A faction of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) under the late John Togo, Niger Delta Liberation Force, has warned of 'deadly consequences' for any group that further attacks Nigerian journalists anywhere in the region.
NDLF's warning followed Tuesday's invasion of the secretariat of the Warri Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) by protesting ex-militants.
However, NDLF's spokesperson, 'Capt' Mark Anthony, said the group "condemned in strong terms attack by protesting miscreants who posed as ex-militants of the non-availability of reporters to grant them interview at the time they called at the office."
Mark Anthony warned youths who parade themselves as ex-militants and causing insecurity in the region to desist from doing so in the interest of their lives.
He said: "Their serial protests have drawn the anger of NDLF ex- soldiers who have mapped out strategies to deal with them, if the security outfit, especially JTF could not handle them. We want to ask, where were their barracks in Niger Delta creeks and which JFT unit did they fight that guaranteed them the title ex-militants?"
"Now that these miscreants have taken their fight to the Press who are friends of Niger Delta struggle, we want to say that they have stepped on toes and they will no longer be permitted to carry out protest of any form in the streets of Warri and any other Niger Delta cities as their protests are inimical to the Niger Delta struggle.
"The press, especially the Warri press are the mouthpiece of the Niger Delta struggle from the period of Tompolo till date and we will not take it lightly with any individual or self-styled group that attack them under any guise," the statement added.
Meanwhile, NDLF urged security agents to investigate and prosecute the ring leaders of the NUJ office attack so as to act as detterent to others.
""Reports have it that the Warri NUJ chairman narrowly escaped death and properties belonging to journalists were destroyed, including car windscreens. We also draw the attention of parents to admonish their children who parade themselves as ex-militants to avoid any unpleasant reports across Niger Delta."
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