A coalition of stakeholders and youth groups from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has faulted the meeting between former president, Goodluck Jonathan and Mr. Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) describing it as “deceptive.”

The coalition said the secret meeting deserved the attention of the Federal Government alleging that it was meant to deliberate on issues relating to security and peace in the region.

A statement yesterday, jointly signed by Timothy Amadiowei, Mrs. Victoria Elijah, Chief Thompson Kurobo and Josiah Apoi on behalf of their various groups, said the meeting was entirely deceptive and provocative because of the nature of persons involved.

Members if the coalition include the Southern Ijaw Unity Forum, the SILGA United Voices for Peace, One Southern Ijaw Agenda, and the Indigenous Movement for SILGA Development.

The group acknowledged that freedom of movement is a fundamental human right under the 1999 Constitution, but noted that Tompolo’s visit to Bayelsa on the 17th of October 17, 2025 signalled provocative political interests capable of fueling political crisis in the state.

It, therefore, called on the federal government to proactively intervene in the interest of national security.

The coalition lamented that Jonathan is talking about security and peace in the Niger Delta whereas scores of persons were massacred in Igbomotoru Community in Southern Ijaw on March 27, 2024 with no word or statement from him on how to address such a genocide that happened in his own state.

They said not only did the former president pay no attention to the killings, but he also failed to call those who masterminded the massacre to order.

According to them, Jonathan knows the level of bitterness, tension and rift the March 27 2024 incident has created in the Niger Delta among different parties from the Ijaw struggle platform, but he failed to broker peace among them, and even when the incident degenerated to blackmails, witch-hunts and victimization in which stakeholders were accused of crimes they knew nothing about so that they could be nailed, the former President did nothing.

They said when people’s houses were being burnt down and others forced to flee their homes, the former President said nothing, but sadly enough, he is now telling the world that the secret meeting was about peace and security when he has neglected to call aggrieved stakeholders to broker peace.

“The massacre of over 80 persons in Igbomotoru Community on the 27th of March, 2024 still remains fresh in the minds of Bayelsans and the international scene.

“Properties worth billions of Naira were wantonly destroyed during the Igbomotoru raid allegedly masterminded by surveillance contractors because of political interests and nobody said anything about it.

“Jonathan is talking about peace when he’s aware of the atrocities committed across the Ijaw nation by pipeline surveillance contractors – what peace efforts has he made to reach out to stakeholders offended by these surveillance contractors?

“Families are still mourning the massacre of over 80 people in Igbomotoru and Jonathan did not say anything about it. Are they not Bayelsans, are they not Nigerians? This secret meeting on peace and security in the Niger Delta is deceptive.

“Many youths are being owed salaries by pipeline surveillance contractors running into several months with no indication that they will be paid, after putting their lives on the line to protect oil and gas facilities in the state, yet the former president has not used his position as a father to intervene,” they said.

They said a company owned by the surveillance contractor had not paid salaries of those it disengaged from service owing to political differences arising from the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship elections and nobody said anything about it.

The coalition of youths urged President Bola Tinubu to be alert and not allow himself to be deceived by anybody, saying there’s a political undertone to Tompolo’s visit.

They said they are not comfortable with the fact that surveillance contractors from other regions are teleguiding the affairs of Bayelsa State by orchestrating chaos and crisis; while keeping their own communities and regions peaceful and developed.

They called on Bayelsans to maintain peace and be law-abiding during this political maneuvering by desperate politicians. (Daily Sun)