19 ethnic youth leaders from Niger Delta region have urged President Muhammadu
Buhari to involve them in the ongoing moves to dialogue with leaders of
the region.

The youth leaders, in a communique at
the end of the meeting, said the proposed dialogue with the Niger Delta
Elders was commendable.

 hey, however, said the youth were the
“most vulnerable stakeholders in the economic, security and political
issues affecting the region.”

It has been reported Sahara Reporters that
the youth leaders, who met in Warri, Delta State, were Udengs Eradiri
(Ijaw Youth Council), Egbo (Isoko Youths Council), Mathew Dighi (Ogoni
Youths Council),  Edward Odum (Ikwerre Youth Council),  Esimaje Awani
(Itsekiri Youth Council),  Imoh Stephen Okiko (Ibibio Youth Council),
Mazi Okechukwu (Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council),  Damige Pharry (Kalabari
Youth Foundation) ,  Bassey Henshew (Efik Youth Council) and others.

Listing their demands, the youth said they wanted   an inclusion of all the youth leaders in the proposed dialogue.

Here is part of the statement , “The Federal
Government should ensure a high degree of transparency and sincerity in
the process of dialogue and negotiations. And we call on the agitating
groups to sheathe their swords and give peace a chance. There should also be the reactivation
of the Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt sea ports, the construction of
the Lagos/Calabar railway, completion of the East-West road,
Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene, and  Aba-Ikot Ekpene,Owerri-Port Harcourt,
Isoko-Onitsha, Benin-Abuja and Calabar Itu expressways . The government
should adequately fund the Niger Delta Development Commission, the
Presidential Amnesty Programme and the Niger Delta Ministry. We believe
this project will generate well over five hundred thousand job
opportunities for the youth of the region.”

The youth leaders appreciated the Federal Government for the release of the
Chibok girls BUT they want “the IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and
the Shiite Leader, El Zakzaky, should be released.”