Rivers Youth Decry Militants’ Attacks On Oil Facilities

Against the backdrop of the increasing wave of attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region, youth under the aegis of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Rivers State chapter, yesterday, took to the streets to protest against attacks on oil pipelines and other violence in the state, and indeed, the Niger Delta region.
The youth, numbering about 300, carrying placards with various inscriptions, which read in part, “we need peace” “stop vandalism in Rivers State”, “thank you Belema Oil for employing 520 youth in one month”, started their protest from Artillery Junction in Port Harcourt – Aba Expressway to the NYCN State secretariat in Old Township, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area.
Speaking at the NYCN secretariat, the State Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Ambassador Sakubo Sara-Igbe Sokubo, described the act by some misguided youth as economic sabotage to the nation.
Sokubo used the opportunity to laud the state government led by Chief Nyesom Wike for its untiring efforts in enthroning investor-friendly environment, adding that the gesture would fast-track the development of the state.
He urged the state government not to be deterred in its avowed determination to rid the state of criminal elements in order to encourage investors to invest in the state.
He called on the youth of the state to shun vandalisation of oil facilities in the state as well as other social vices that are detrimental to the development of the state.
According to him, no society can develop in an atmosphere of restiveness and acrimony, adding that the state government was committed to the betterment of the youth.
The state Chairman of NYCN used the opportunity to thank  the Federal Government for the opportunity given to a son of the state and owner of Belema Oil, to own an oil bloc, adding that the company had within one month of its operation, employed 520 youth from the state.
He urged the Federal Government to extend such gesture to other sons and daughters of the region, adding that the move would create employment opportunities for the teeming youth in the area.