An initiative which is intended to prime thousands of Niger Delta youth to rise up to the challenges of environmental pollution and human rights is in the pipeline.
This was disclosed in an interview with journalists by a Non Governmental Organization, Youth and Environmental Advocacy in Port-Harcourt.
According to the Leader of the group, Fyneface Dumnamene, people’s right to live and live had been trodden upon by the security agencies, especially in the Niger Delta region. He said that because of its peculiarity, the region was faced with certain human rights abuses and environmental issues.
But he condemned the spate of arrests on the innocent people and high incidence of extra-judicial killings, especially based on high military presence in the region.
Dumnamene, informed that the youth would be mobilized by floating a code that will make it easy for interested persons to text in, in order to be enrolled. He stated that the body will take its sensitization to secondary schools and tertiary institutions. The group also pledged to traverse the nine states of the Niger Delta region whereby it will open a debate with students as well as establish a Niger Delta Cultural park, among others, to foster the spread of its initiatives.
He appealed to interested youths to join the group in pursing environmental and human rights issues in the region.
In a related development, Barrister Gbenga Oladapo of the Lawyers Watch of Justice Initiatives, Port-Harcourt, has lent his voice to the spate of human rights abuses in the country generally.
In an exclusive interview with the National Network newspaper, Barr. Oladapo condemned in its entirety what he described as a possible drift into anarchy caused by lack of respect for the rule of law in the country.
“The spate of human rights abuses and violations by agents of government is alarming –court orders are treated with disdain… the legislators are busy proposing laws that will limit human rights and foster an environment for corrupt enrichment,” he stated.
He also lamented the continuous arrest of activists in the country. As a way out, he declared that only respect for the rule of law in the country will bring the nation back on path of sanity.
