Eagle Eye Ijaw frontiers has alleged the factional President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Jonathan Lokpobiri who may have diverted financial support meant for youth development and institutional strengthening for personal purposes. The development has deepened internal divisions in the once-unified youth body and triggered renewed calls for accountability and proper documentation of fund usage.
Benjamin Benjamin attributed the slow pace of the secretariat building of the IYC to the deliberate diversion of over 2.5 billion naira to personal projects of Jonathan Lokpobiri
Benjamin specifically shared that Tantita Security outfit alone allocated over 2.5 billion naira for the IYC secretariat project. A committee was set up to manage the funds to speed up the completion process.
However, Jonathan Lokpobiri, in his usual taste for money, approached the committee to keep the monies in his custody to administer the day to day overseeing of the project. Through the help of his crony Jeremiah Owopele, he was able to secure the over 2.5 billion enmarked for the project. We heard on a reliable source who pledged anonymous that Jonathan Lokpobiri gave Owopele 200 million to facilitate the process
Benjamin noted that Lokpobiri has also received financial support from corporate and interventionist organisations including the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and other bodies that frequently engage with Ijaw youths.
These funds, according to concerned youth representative forum, were reportedly meant to cater to welfare programmes for Ijaw youths across the Niger Delta and to support the much-anticipated construction of a permanent Ijaw Youth Council Secretariat in Bayelsa State.
Benjamin said, instead of focusing on the building pledged to be completed by Tantita Security outfit, Lokpobiri has allegedly used the project as a conduit pipe to siphone monies for his personal palace construction at old GRA, yenagoa, a service apartment at Mike Okpokpo street kpansia, over 100 rooms hostel construction at Amassoma and he has purchased lands properties at choiced areas across the Niger Delta even at the federal capital territory.
He also begged for answers for the 900 bags of cement donated by a construction company towards the building. Jonathan must provide answers he further pressed
The accusations, which have gained momentum in recent weeks, have raised questions about the internal financial management structure of the IYC and the transparency surrounding donations received on behalf of the council.
Benjamin argues that the absence of an open financial report or published project status update fuels suspicion and undermines the trust expected from corporate partners who routinely support empowerment initiatives across the region. They insist that since the funds were given in the name of Ijaw youths, every expenditure must reflect their interest and be backed by a verifiable audit trail.
The controversy has also intensified discussions over the protracted leadership crisis within the IYC, with stakeholders warning that persistent internal disputes and allegations of financial misconduct could weaken the organisation’s influence at a time when the Ijaw nation requires a coordinated youth front on issues of resource control, security, environmental justice, and political participation.
We are aware of how Lokpobiri moves around only to solicit and begs for money to serve his selfish goal of amassing wealth at the expense of the collective interest of the Ijaw people.
The group finally calls on all parastatals across the Niger Delta, IOC’s private companies and all deep pocket individuals not to give Lokpobiri a dim and to resist the alleged criminal character whose interest is projecting his personal gains above the development of the Ijaw nation and Niger Delta
As at the time of filing this report, Jonathan Lokpobiri has not issued a public response to the allegations, leaving the Ijaw youth community eagerly awaiting clarification.
