President Buhari Set to Appoint GEJ's Right Hand Man Over N'Delta Avengers' Insurgency

The resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta region has been a source of worry to many Nigerians as President Muhammadu Buhari seem to have found a way to resolve the issue.

 

According to a report by The Leadership newspaper, the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Timi Alaibe, a known ally of former president Goodluck Jonathan, may return to the post. 

 

A source in the presidency revealed to the publication that President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to bring back Alaibe who has huge influence in the Niger Delta region and first Presidential Adviser on the Amnesty Programme.

 

Alaibe who is said to have links with former and current militants and credited with reconciling, rehabilitating and reintegrating ex-militants into the society after they laid down their arms in 2009, has been fingered as one man that can bring the present agitation eapecially from the Niger Delta Avengers to a halt. 

 

The report stated that President Buhari is very disturbed by the recent frequent attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta, especially as it affects the country’s finances. The idea of bringing back Alaibe is said to be an advice form a senior security and intelligence chief, who recommended that Alaibe be brought back to manage the amnesty office to curb the recent attacks.

 

Alaibe (Left) and Jonathan (middle) have been long term political allies in the PDP

 

Recall that the current occupier of the office, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd) was appointed into the office by President Buhari on Tuesday, July 28 2015. 

 

“Even though the nation’s security agencies are on top of the situation in the region, the affected officials have been accused of not doing enough to solve the problem. 

“The perception in the presidency is that the amnesty man (Boroh) is far detached from the people, he does not know the militants well, and we cannot just go into a military operation that will take innocent lives in the name of looking for the boys when there is an easier way to reach the militants and rebuild confidence. 

“I think at our level, we have done our bit by suggesting to the political leadership to bring Timi Alaibe on board so that we can avoid some of these military operations. 

“I can bet you that once we engage in any operation, it will take a minimum of 16 months to complete because times have changed. 

“It is now very clear to the president that some of the ministers from the Niger Delta are not on ground,” the presidency source said.

 

53-year-old Timi Alaibe, is a known ally of former president Goodluck Jonathan, although the duo had their political differences last year, which prompted the former to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).