The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide has advised the Federal Government to stop deploying troops to the Niger Delta.

In a communiqué issued on Monday by its President, Udengs Eradiri, and spokesman, Eric Omare, the group asked the government to employ intelligence gathering rather than using force.

The group said the militants destroying oil facilities were not stationed in a particular place, so it would be hard to defeat them using military force.

The IYC said, “We strongly advise against this option. It is not, and can never be a solution to Niger Delta crisis.  Those recommending military option are enemies of the Federal Government, Niger Delta people and the entire citizenry.

“In the first place, the Niger Delta militants that have claimed responsibility for attacks on oil facilities are not stationed in any particular place like Boko-Haram in Sambisa forest. There is no Sambisa forest in the Niger Delta region where the military can go and confront militants.

“Those carrying out these attacks have adopted a guerrilla strategy; hence the solution is for the relevant security to deepen intelligence gathering, working with local communities and not full scale military onslaught on the communities and people.

“Any full scale military action in the Niger Delta would only succeed in killing innocent people and destruction of communities that are also victims of the militancy. It is worthy of note that Gbaramatu Kingdom that the military has been consistently harassing is not the headquarters of any of the militant groups.

“The Gbaramatu people are peace loving Ijaw people and the military must stop the consistent invasion of Gbaramatu communities or any other Ijaw community.”

Azeez