Buhari ignores Army chief, moves to appease Avengers

President Muhammadu Buhari seems to have been spurred into action by the level of damage done to the economy, by the militant group Niger Delta Avengers.

The president in efforts to bring to an end the continued bombings of oil facilities in the Niger Delta has sent emissaries to the region to meet with stakeholders on how to end the violence.

There are indications that an avenue for dialogue is to be set up which will also involve inputs from the militants.

This is against an earlier assertion of “no negotiation” by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Gabriel Olonisakin.

Olonisakin had declared in Lagos, that: “There are better ways to air their grievances than the way they go about it. The right way is to get necessary permit and protest. If they are violent, we will not take it lightly with them.”

However, Senior Special Assistant to President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, had at a press conference at the weekend, confirmed that some officials of the Federal Government were already holding discussions on how to end the violence.

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He said the government was prepared to peacefully resolve the conflict, and listed Federal Government’s representatives currently engaging in dialogue with the stakeholders in Niger Delta to include the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.); Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru; Co-coordinator, Amnesty Office, Gen. Paul Boroh (retd.) and other ministers from the region.

Also, there are indications that the president may revisit the amnesty programme of late President Musa Yar’Adua to see what can be taken from it to end the violence in the region that has seen Nigeria’s crude oil production dropping drastically.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, confirmed this aspect of the peace move, and listed some of the steps being taken to include consultations and the revisiting of the document signed by the late President.

According to him, the Federal Government is keen on resolving the situation and was doing all within its ability to restore peace to the Niger Delta.

He said, “Every effort is being made to restore calmness to the Niger Delta, including consultation, and taking a fresh look at the gazette signed by the Umaru Yar’Adua government, so that the agreements contained therein will be implemented”.

 

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