You Can Leave Nigeria If You Have Another Country - Buhari Tells Aggrieved Niger Delta Fighters

President Muhamadu Buhari has fired a warning to the aggrieved groups in the oil rich Niger Delta, saying that peace is critical to the development of the region.

President Muhammadu Buhari (6th r) Vice-President Yemii Osinbajo (6th l) Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State (4th r) Gov Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa (3rd r) with Traditional Rulers and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta during at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday

 

Speaking on Tuesday at the Aso Rock villa in Abuja while holding a high-level meeting with leaders and other stakeholders from the oil rich Niger Delta region, President Muhamadu Buhari, disclosed that peace is critical to the development of region, and therefore called for a collective approach in solving the issue of militancy in the region. 

 

According to a report by Vanguard, the president said it was imperative for the leaders to unite and seek ways of ending the militancy and the sabotage of oil infrastructure in the zone, adding that anyone who had another country apart from Nigeria was free to leave the country. 

 

He expressed the determination of his administration to stay focused on its key campaign promises of securing the country, fighting corruption and creating jobs through the improvement of the economy. 

 

A statement by the presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, stated that the president listed peace, security, investment and prosperity as close linked together, adding that 'if we give peace a chance, investors will come here to invest.' 

 

Nobody will invest in an insecure environment. “We are determined to make life comfortable and affordable to all Nigerians. If anybody has a country to go to, let him go, we will stay here and salvage our country.” 

 

In welcoming the 16-point request presented for negotiation by the Niger Delta leaders, President Buhari said he was still expecting reports from officials he had instructed to review the implementation of the Amnesty program to determine where government fell short so that amends can be made. 

 

The president said the service chiefs were putting together their own assessment of the militancy situation, saying “when I have these reports, including this one (just presented), we will revisit the situation (in the region) to ensure that we succeed this time.” 

 

He however cautioned the leaders of the Delta that they had more to do than anyone else to bring peace to the region, given the influence they have on militant groups.

 

The President who delivered his report card on the war against corruption and the efforts to secure the country repeated his call to the Niger Delta leaders to join the administration in bringing peace to the troubled region. 

 

“Please Your Excellencies, Your Majesties, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen; we all have our individual constituencies. Let us try to pacify our constituencies. Let us first recover our country, secure the country and let us invite people who will invest. Let us create jobs for our people and let us be accountable to our people where we are sitting on treasuries, whether it is local government, state or the center. 

"We should ensure that we rebuild this country. Nobody wants to fail. So, the only way out is, if people understand and believe that we are doing our best at all levels, then we will have some peace. But it they have reason to doubt our performance and sincerity, then we will have problem,” he said.

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See the Sophisticated Weapons and Charms Recovered from Niger Delta Militants in Rivers State (Photos)

Deadly Niger Delta militants have embraced the amnesty programme after they happily surrendered their weapons and charms in Rivers State.

The weapons and charms reportedly recovered from the militants

 

Some Niger Delta militants in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, have surrendered their "sophisticated" weapons, charms and other items to the Amnesty committee, in an event graced by different security agencies. 

 

Many have greeted the act with mixed feelings considering the type of weapons that were recovered from the militants, knowing how dangerous the region is. Gokana LGA has been the bloodiest in the past one year recording series of assassinations and politically motivated killings. 

 

 

Recently, Dr Vincent Eebee, a lecturer with the Rivers State Polytechnic and a chieftain of APC, was gunned down by a gang of dare-devil gunmen in that area and some other APC chieftains.

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Militants Blow Up Another Pipeline In Delta

A militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, NDGJM, in the early hours of Tuesday, blew up the Afiesere-Iwhrenene major delivery line to UPS/UQCC, operated by Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NDPC/Shorelines Petroleum in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The attack confirmed by a leader of the group, self-styled Gen. Aldo Agbalaja, came as the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, which ceased hostilities, last month, accused the military of harassing old men, women and innocent youths in the region under the guise of hunting for militants.

Meanwhile, the Ijaw People Development Initiative, IPDI, has warned that the Federal Government’s plan to continue to militarize the region and intimidate the people despite the fact that NDA and other dangerous militant groups had opted for dialogue will not make the region to forsake the Niger Delta struggle.

Also, acting Secretary of the Gbaramatu Traditional Council, GTC, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, has cautioned against the continued militarization of the kingdom and other parts of the region, saying: “It is an ill wind that blows both the inhabitants of thee Niger Delta and the Federal Republic no good.”

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Buhari Knows How to End N’Delta Crisis Today If He Desires – Group

The United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS) on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari knows exactly what to do to end the Niger Delta crisis arising from militancy.

UNDEDSS Secretary, Mr. Tony Uranta, who made this disclosure, said they had drawn up proposals that captures the interests of all the parties involved in the agitation in the Niger Delta.

In a statement made available to ThisDay, the coalition said, “President Buhari knows what, exactly he needs to do to end the crisis today if he so desires.

“He probably has not because he has allowed his administration to be beset with too many petty rivalries, too many individuals jockeying for putative relevance, and too many party chieftains of Niger Delta origin who don’t have the interests of the region at heart!”

He said this is the position of UNDEDSS and other well-meaning Niger Delta citizens, who interfacing with patriotic members of the president’s inner cabinet and intelligence chieftains, have drawn up a proposal that should be ‘win-win’ for all parties concerned.

He further said, “This dynamically tweaked proposal is before Mr. President, the armed agitators in the creeks, the international community (including the UK & the USA) and other relevantly interested Nigerians like Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

“The proposal is hinged on four vital prerequisites, viz., the affirmation by Mr. President that there is no change in policy regarding the need to commence Matriculation of students this year in the National Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State; the rebirth of the Niger Delta Council (with its five relevant sub-committees!) of President Yar Adua’s 2009 template.

“And the guarantee of safe passage for delegates to any dialogue locations, all armed parties publicly agree to a 60-days Armistice to be proposed by the FGN; and, the attendance of Foreign Observers (including Diplomats from the EU, UK & USA), to be invited by the FGN, to any such dialogue.

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40 Ex Niger Delta Militants Graduate with first class and second class upper from Benson Idahosa University

Forty delegates under the Presidential Amnesty Programme graduated in First Class and Second Class Upper Division from the Benson Idahosa University, Benin. The results issued by the university on Monday, showed that six of the Amnesty delegates had First Class; one in Mathematics, two in Business Administration and three in Political Science and Public Administ ration.

Thirty four other Amnesty delegates graduated with Second Class Upper Division (2:1) A breakdown of those graduating with Upper Class showed that eight were in Political Science, four each in the Department of Economics, Banking and Finance, and the Mass Communication Department. Three each graduated in this Class from Computer Science, Business Administration and International Studies and Diplomacy.

Two graduated in Physics while one each graduated with Second Class Upper in Law, Agric Economics, Political Science Education, Library Studies, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Business Education. Overall, over 50 percent of the 79 graduating Amnesty Programme delegates from the university had First Class and Second Class Upper degrees.

While receiving the official results from the university, an elated Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (Rtd) said the outstanding performance of the Amnesty delegates showed that if given the opportunity, youths from the Niger Delta can excel. He recalled with joy that just a fortnight ago, 22 of 144 delegates who graduated from 17 United Kingdom universities had First Class and Second Class Upper degrees. He pointed out that three of these UK graduates had First Class degrees in Mechatronics and Robotic System Engineering, Telecommunications and Network Engineering, and Public Relations from Liverpool and Bedfordshire universities.

General Boroh who is also the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme said the retention and funding of the Amnesty Programme by President Muhammadu Buhari shows he is committed to the stability and development of the Niger Delta.

He thanked the President for ensuring the sustainability of the Amnesty Programme and urged youths in the Niger Delta irrespective of their education or professional calling, to give a thought to agriculture either as a primary or secondary means of income in order, among other objectives, to create jobs, generate wealth and achieve food security.

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US expresses concern over Niger Delta violence

The United States Mission to Nigeria has said it supports dialogue for the resolution of the violence in the Niger Delta.

It expressed concern over the rising violence and attacks in the Niger Delta, saying it was monitoring reports of attacks and other incidents in the region.

The embassy in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said it shared the concerns of all Nigerians about the attacks, adding that it was in support of efforts, including dialogue, to address the grievances in the Niger Delta.

The mission called on all parties to resolve their disputes through peaceful means, emphasising that human rights of all Nigerians must be protected.

It said, “We encourage all parties to resolve their disputes through peaceful means and emphasise that human rights of all Nigerians must be protected.

“We continue to call on all Nigerians to persevere in efforts to achieve common goals: to end violence and curb the activities of criminal elements; to establish conditions and mechanisms for profound, positive, and lasting changes in the region; and to provide economic opportunity and needed services for residents of the Niger Delta.”

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