Ijaws Renew Call For Restructuring, Resource Control, Say Nigeria

The Ijaw ethnic nationality under the aegis of Ijaw Elders Forum (IEF) has renewed calls for urgent national recalibration, urging the federal government to immediately restructure Nigeria.

Key Highlights:

The forum said true federalism, resource control and devolution of powers remain the only lasting solutions to Nigeria’s worsening political and economic challenges.

In a statement signed by Chief Bukazi Etete and Efiye Bribena, chairman and secretary, respectively, the group said Nigeria is at a critical crossroads requiring courageous leadership and decisive action.

The forum blamed the country’s persistent instability on structural defects, weak institutions and decades of political imbalance.

It argued that repeated elections alone would not resolve Nigeria’s challenges without comprehensive constitutional and institutional reforms.

The forum said the Ijaw people had sacrificed immensely for Nigeria by providing the oil wealth sustaining the nation’s economy while remaining underdeveloped.

It alleged that oil-producing communities continue to suffer pollution, poor infrastructure, failing healthcare, inadequate schools and widespread poverty.

The forum described the Bille community in Rivers State as a “ticking time bomb”, alleging that persistent environmental degradation had been ignored by authorities.

“The time has come for sincere reflection, courageous leadership and decisive action to address the structural and political challenges threatening Nigeria’s peace, stability and progress,” IEF said.

It maintained that the current 13 per cent derivation formula falls short of genuine fiscal federalism and called for greater resource control by oil-producing communities.

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The Ijaw group also criticised what it described as the exclusion of Ijaw communities from recent International oil companies’ divestment programmes.

The forum further rejected what it called elite patronage through contract awards, insisting that contracts cannot replace environmental justice and community development.

It also faulted the exclusion of the Niger Delta from the N3.9 trillion federal road infrastructure projects approved by the Federal Executive Council.

According to the forum, the decision reflects a long-standing pattern of extracting wealth from the region while neglecting its development needs.

IEF demanded a time-bound national dialogue on restructuring, immediate environmental remediation across the Niger Delta and a review of the derivation formula.

It also called for transparency in Niger Delta development funds, revival of abandoned infrastructure projects and comprehensive electoral and judicial reforms.

“Our patience has been stretched to breaking point. We ask only for a fair place in a Nigeria that works for all its peoples,” the statement said.

The forum urged the federal government, National Assembly and other stakeholders to address the country’s structural challenges before they deepen divisions across the federation.