The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has called on the Federal Government of to honour late Maj. Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro, as a true Nigerian nationalist who died for the indivisibility of Nigeria in 1968 during the Biafra war.

The call is contained in a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Yenagoa, on Thursday by Amb. Princewill Binebai, Spokesman Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).

According to the statement, the late Jasper Adaka Boro, means so much to Ijaws as a people, his struggle for a better Niger Delta in the Nigerian State due to the many years of environmental injustice by the oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region.

The statement reads: “Considering the sacrifices of Boro who paid the supreme price by dying to protect Nigeria as one indivisible sovereign nation.

“It is the call of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide that the Federal Government of Nigeria should name critical facilities like International Airports.

“Federal Institution of learning and what have you after Boro. This is very important as we also recommend proper recognition of the Boro family, his children and brother by the federal government of Nigeria.

“However, while the Bayelsa state government over the years has continued to be a major financier of the Boro day celebrations.

“We are urging the Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Ondo, Imo and other Niger Delta Govs. to do same by massively supporting any move geared towards celebrating Boro.

“Today this is the 56th Boro day celebration with the theme tagged “Honouring The Sacrifices Of The Past; Embracing The Challenges Of The Moment And Believing In The Future,” the statement read in part.

The Spokesman in the statement, said Boro’s declaration of Niger Delta Republic in 1966 that is popularly known as the 12 days revolution made him as a champion of minority rights movement in Nigeria.

According to him, late Boro is the one who opened the eyes of minorities in Nigeria over the downright neglect of smaller tribes within Nigeria and the need to be treated fairly as equal stakeholders in the Nigerian Union.

He said as a council, they are calling on all Niger Delta governors to immortalise Late Boro in their various states.

“The celebration of Boro should go beyond the Ijaws as his struggle in negotiating a better deal for the Niger Delta region has benefitted the Niger Delta region as an oppressed region in the Nigerian State.

“Nevertheless, we are happy that the struggles of late Maj. Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro who is a pathfinder of the Niger Delta struggle and champion of minority rights movement in Nigeria,” the IYC stated.

He said that it is the assurance of the 9th National Executive Council of the (IYC) led by Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri, that they will continue to uphold the principles of the Kaiama Declaration and the founding principles of the Ijaw Youth Council.