Breaking: Ijaw Youth Council members lock NDDC office, block East-West Road

<!– Ijaw Youth Council members block East West Road –>

Ijaw Youth Council members protest on East-West Road

Okafor Ofiebor/ Port Harcourt

Members of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) made good their threats to shut down the offices of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC in Yenegoa, the capital of Bayelsa State and in Warri, Delta State.

The shutdown was one of the highlights of the protests staged by the group this morning, amid reports of the disappearance of their leader Timothy Igbifa.

The Ijaw youths also blocked the Mbiama axis of the East-West Road.

Ijaw Youth Council members lock NDDC office in Yenagoa

Ijaw Youth Council members block East West Road

The protest was about the refusal of Federal Government to constitute a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

They are also protesting the kidnapping of Timothy Igbifa by unidentified armed masked men on Tuesday.

According to the group, the 30-day ultimatum given the Buhari government expired at midnight today.

So far, the protests have been peaceful, except for the traffic gridlock on the East-West Road.

The Ijaw Youth Council had earlier announced today’s protest.

President of the IYC Igbifa also gave all oil multinationals seven days to evacuate their employees from oil platforms in the region ahead of the protest.