Fresh reports reaching the desk of Africa Today News, New York has revealed that some of the leadership and the stakeholders of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), has come out to sternly caution some of the Northern Youths under the agesis of the Arewa Youths Assembly over their recent derogatory comments against one of the foremost former Niger Delta freedom fighters, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, in his handling of the crude oil surveillance contract which had been awarded to him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Ijaw Youth Council leaders had also openly declared that the Northern Youths completely lacked any right to fault the NNPC and the Federal Government’s decision on the award which had been bestowed on Tompolo of the oil surveillance contract.
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They had also sternly warned them while blasting them that the Arewa Youths should be completely ashamed because Tompolo and others were in charge of protecting the source that feeds the nation while they are idle and allowing insecurity to fester in the Northern States.
According to the IYC, despite the vexatious and provocative nature of the comment and threat of protest by the Arewa Youths Assembly, the Youths of the six States of the Niger Delta region are totally in support of the decision to award the surveillance contract to Tompolo and assure that his capacity can never be questioned by meddlesome interloper youths, such as the Arewa Youths.
In a statement by the IYC, through its National Spokesman, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, the group warned that instead of the Northern Youths becoming hired hands to criminal elements involved in the oil theft in the region and castigate the person or leadership of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, they should focus their energy to support the security agencies in tackling of the rising cases of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism in northern region of the country.
“While the likes of Tompolo and many sincere youth leaders were working to protect the peace and security of the Niger Delta, what are they doing to contribute to the needed security in the north? Tompolo has worked tirelessly for the peace in the Niger Delta and will continue to sustain and protect the wealth of the nation in collaboration with other stakeholders,” it said.