The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of deceiving Nigerians and the international community about the Nigerian government being in talks with the Niger Delta militants, saying no such talk exists.

IYC spokesman, Eric Omare, said it was ridiculous and laughable for the President to claim that the government was in talk with the militants through the international oil companies.

The full statement: “The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide says that President Buhari and the federal government of Nigeria should stop deceiving Nigerians and the international community about talks with Niger Delta militants on how to stop attacks on oil facilities in the Niger Delta region.

“It is highly ridiculous and laughable for President Buhari to say that his government is negotiating with Niger Delta militants through oil companies and law enforcement agencies during the farewell audience with Mr. Michael Zinner, the outgoing Ambassador to Germany on Thursday, the 21st of July, 2016.

“It is even embarrassing for the President of an independent nation such as Nigeria to say that it is oil companies that are negotiating for peace with Niger Delta agitators which in effect amounts to surrounding the sovereignty of Nigeria to international oil companies.

“The IYC wonders if Nigeria is back to the pre-colonial and independence Royal Niger Company days where international companies govern Nigeria.

“The point must be made that the issues at stake are completely beyond the capacity of oil companies to resolve.

“For the umpteenth time, the IYC call on the Aides and Advisers to President Buhari to properly advise him on how to solve the current hostilities in the Niger Delta region and equally display a determination to resolve the problem as his predecessors did.

“Only a sincere and holistic dialogue with the people of the Niger Delta region which is aimed at addressing the remote causes of recurrent militancy can bring permanent peace to the Niger Delta region.

“This can only happen when President Buhari as the political leader of Nigeria come down to the negotiation table.”