YENAGOA—PIONEER chairman of Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM King (Dr) W. S Joshua Igbugburu X, has urged youths of Niger Delta, including students and militants, such as Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, not to expose the Niger Delta to more hardship and trauma by further destruction of oil installations.

HRM Igbugburu X, who is the Ibenanawei of Bomo Kingdom, Bayelsa State, made the call when he played host to the executive members of the National Association of Niger Delta Students, who visited him at his palace.  He urged them to lay down their arms and allow peace to reign, saying “this appeal has become necessary in view of the huge economic loss and preparedness of the Federal Government to continue to dialogue with aggrieved militants in the region.

“Apart from the economic loss the nation is incurring, the worse is that an oil pipelines and other facilities are destroyed by the aggrieved militants and others involved in illegal bunkering, the spillages destroy not only our aquatic natural resources, but also our lives placed under perpetual danger. This is why youths of the Niger Delta must sheath their swords to avoid more destruction and expose the Niger Delta to more hardship and trauma. But let me use this opportunity to also call on the federal government to make haste in the dialogue process.”