The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) on Tuesday took a swipe at Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, for alleging an impending attack on Southern Kaduna by Niger Delta militants.

In a statement issued in Yenagoa by IYC Spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, the group also blamed the lull in the dialogue process on the Federal Government.

The statement reads, "The IYC states that the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El Rufai is inciting the people of Kaduna State and by implication the entire north against Niger Deltans by his statement that Niger Delta militants have been hired to carry out attacks in Southern Kaduna.

"This statement is reckless and highly condemnable. Mallam El-Rufai having failed in his duty to protect the lives and properties of the people of Southern Kaduna should not use innocent Niger Deltans as scapegoats. Niger Deltans have no business going all the way to Kaduna or any part of Nigeria to attack Nigerians.

"We call on Nigerians and the security agencies to hold Governor El-Rufai responsible for any attack on Niger Deltans in the North as a result of his irresponsible statement.

"The Fulani herdsmen who El-Rufai paid for killing people are well known to the world, hence Niger Deltans should not be linked under any circumstance to the unwarranted killings going on in Southern Kaduna.

"We also call on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency bring the killings in southern Kaduna to a stop and bring the perpetrators to justice, including Governor El-Rufai."

In a related development, the IYC has said that the call by President Buhari on Niger Delta agitators to come to negotiation table is a subterfuge to deceive Nigerians and the world to create the false impression that the Federal Government is ready for dialogue whereas it is not.

"The Buhari administration is the one frustrating attempts at negotiation and not Niger Delta agitators.

"The Niger Delta leaders and stakeholders have done everything possible to start the negotiation process, which have been frustrated by the Federal Government.

"IYC therefore call on President Buhari to demonstrate sincerity towards negotiating with the Niger Delta people by constituting the government negotiation team rather than Christmas day rhetoric."

•IYC Spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare.