Osinbajo conveys security meeting over JNDLF bombing threat
Wed Jun 08, 2016 07:27:am National
2.3K By Buchi Obichie
In response to threats from the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, JNDLF, to bomb major government buildings in Abuja starting midnight today, the Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, conveyed an emergency security meeting in Abuja.
The meeting, which appeared to be a strategic one, had in attendance the VP (and Acting President), Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Governors of oil producing states; Service Chiefs; Minister of Defence, Dan Ali; Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty Programme, Gen. Paul Boroh, amongst others.
The meeting came on a day the apprehended main coordinator of attacks on Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, oil and gas installations in Delta State was paraded by the Navy.
Governors in attendance at the meeting included Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).
Service chiefs at the meeting were Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, and Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.
Held at the conference room of the Acting President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the meeting started at about 10a.m. and ended at about 3p.m.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State said they took briefings of the situation in the Niger Delta by the Security Chiefs and Minister of State for Petroleum.
He said the meeting particularly noted the unhealthy developments in Delta and Bayelsa states, saying a solution was underway.
The Governor, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, also revealed that there would be a stand-down of military action in the area.
He said the outcome of the meeting, which extensively sought collaboration with the states, would be implemented immediately.
His words: "We, governors of oil producing states, security chiefs and ministers who are concerned, met with the Vice-President and I believe we had a very fruitful meeting.
"One thing we identified, which is the synergy between the Federal Government and the states, which is very important, is that this meeting has raised a lot of issues and we believe that the collaboration will help us to tackle the issues in the Niger Delta.
"Of course, we were briefed by the Service Chiefs and the Governors also have their own perspectives along with the Minister of State for Petroleum.
"We have taken a lot of decisions which will help us mitigate what is going on currently in the states, particularly Bayelsa and Delta. We believe we are going to find a solution to it.
"One of such is that there is a need for us to share intelligence which is very important and for us to be proactive, working together with the various stakeholders in the states to achieve a better result going forward.
"We have also agreed that there is a need to distill military operations by helping communities where the military needs to actually remain on our waterways to ensure that we adequately man the waterways, while we engage the communities and that engagement will start any moment from now.
"Right from today, there is a meeting right after this and we are going to be collaborating, even as we return to our various states."
Asked when the amnesty programme would be revisited, the governor said it was still ongoing.
He said: "I don't think the amnesty has been put to a stop. I think the process is still ongoing, we have a Special Adviser in charge of amnesty and he is doing very well.
"I am aware that he did come in to talk with some of the communities and along with the advocacy team that was put up in Delta State. He did brief us today and I believe it is going to be maintained," he said.
In a similar vein, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, also corroborated the stance of the Delta State governor on the issue.
He said: "We agreed that we all have to work together to refocus on development issues, economic issues, military issues and community issues. Whatever he has told you there, that is what we have agreed to do.
"This is a Government elected by the people to govern for their own good. You can't govern that person without talking to that person. It is common sense. That does not mean humiliation.
"You must engage your people. Nigeria is not at war and we cannot be at war with ourselves. If we have conflicts, we will talk through those conflicts."
The meeting, which appeared to be a strategic one, had in attendance the VP (and Acting President), Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Governors of oil producing states; Service Chiefs; Minister of Defence, Dan Ali; Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty Programme, Gen. Paul Boroh, amongst others.
The meeting came on a day the apprehended main coordinator of attacks on Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, oil and gas installations in Delta State was paraded by the Navy.
Governors in attendance at the meeting included Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).
Service chiefs at the meeting were Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, and Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.
Held at the conference room of the Acting President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the meeting started at about 10a.m. and ended at about 3p.m.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State said they took briefings of the situation in the Niger Delta by the Security Chiefs and Minister of State for Petroleum.
He said the meeting particularly noted the unhealthy developments in Delta and Bayelsa states, saying a solution was underway.
The Governor, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, also revealed that there would be a stand-down of military action in the area.
He said the outcome of the meeting, which extensively sought collaboration with the states, would be implemented immediately.
His words: "We, governors of oil producing states, security chiefs and ministers who are concerned, met with the Vice-President and I believe we had a very fruitful meeting.
"One thing we identified, which is the synergy between the Federal Government and the states, which is very important, is that this meeting has raised a lot of issues and we believe that the collaboration will help us to tackle the issues in the Niger Delta.
"Of course, we were briefed by the Service Chiefs and the Governors also have their own perspectives along with the Minister of State for Petroleum.
"We have taken a lot of decisions which will help us mitigate what is going on currently in the states, particularly Bayelsa and Delta. We believe we are going to find a solution to it.
"One of such is that there is a need for us to share intelligence which is very important and for us to be proactive, working together with the various stakeholders in the states to achieve a better result going forward.
"We have also agreed that there is a need to distill military operations by helping communities where the military needs to actually remain on our waterways to ensure that we adequately man the waterways, while we engage the communities and that engagement will start any moment from now.
"Right from today, there is a meeting right after this and we are going to be collaborating, even as we return to our various states."
Asked when the amnesty programme would be revisited, the governor said it was still ongoing.
He said: "I don't think the amnesty has been put to a stop. I think the process is still ongoing, we have a Special Adviser in charge of amnesty and he is doing very well.
"I am aware that he did come in to talk with some of the communities and along with the advocacy team that was put up in Delta State. He did brief us today and I believe it is going to be maintained," he said.
In a similar vein, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, also corroborated the stance of the Delta State governor on the issue.
He said: "We agreed that we all have to work together to refocus on development issues, economic issues, military issues and community issues. Whatever he has told you there, that is what we have agreed to do.
"This is a Government elected by the people to govern for their own good. You can't govern that person without talking to that person. It is common sense. That does not mean humiliation.
"You must engage your people. Nigeria is not at war and we cannot be at war with ourselves. If we have conflicts, we will talk through those conflicts."
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