Oil Spill: Ijaw Youths 60-Day  Ultimatum To FG  Expires Next Week 

Adebayo Obajemu 

Recall that the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide towards the end of January gave  a 60-day ultimatum to the Federal Government  and relevant regulatory agencies to  immediately  begin a comprehensive remediation of oil-polluted Ijaw communities, threatening  that failure to act will ignite  a  shutdown of oil and gas operations across Ijaw territories. The ultimatum will expire next week Wednesday.

The ultimatum decision was contained  in a communiqué  issued  at the end of the IYC National Convention held  in January   in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and signed by the council’s President, Dr. Alaye Theophilus.

The IYC  in the communique pointed accusing fingers at  decades of oil exploration and production activities as the reason behind  severe environmental devastation, threatening livelihoods, public health, and ecological sustainability across Ijaw land.

“The convention unequivocally condemns the persistent ecological damage, oil pollution, and environmental degradation in Ijaw territories,” the communiqué stated.

“The Federal Government is hereby given a final and non-negotiable 60 days to commence visible, comprehensive clean-up and remediation efforts.”

According to the council,  the ultimatum is modelled after the Ogoniland remediation framework,  emphasising  that continued resource extraction without environmental responsibility was unjust and would no longer be tolerated.

It further disclosed  the establishment of a mobilisation and sensitisation committee to engage Ijaw communities and key stakeholders, aimed at ensuring collective awareness and preparedness should the Federal Government fail to respond within the stipulated time frame.

The IYC  noted  that its demand was not  aimed at any ethnic group in the Niger Delta or elsewhere in Nigeria, but a call for environmental justice, equity, and sustainable development for oil-producing communities.

While acknowledging ongoing clean-up efforts in Ogoniland, the council urged the Federal Government to urgently review the leadership of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

It  called for the removal of the Project Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarin Zabbey, and the Minister of Environment,  referencing concerns over the effectiveness, transparency, and pace of implementation of the programme.

The council also pitched its tent with  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election, citing his role in stabilising the political climate in Rivers State.

“The President has demonstrated genuine commitment to peace and stability in Rivers State, creating an enabling environment for democratic governance,” the communiqué added, noting that this informed its decision to back his re-election.