Negotiate with Avengers, Abdulsalami, others tell Buhari
Mon Jul 11, 2016 10:41:am National
4.2K By sosa hills
Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar has appealed to the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to embrace dialogue in the interest of Nigeria and the oil-producing region.
Abdulsalami made the appeal at the weekend when hosted former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu at his residence in Minna, the Niger State capital.
He said that the raging crisis in the region, which the militants spearhead, is causing more pains for the people of the Niger Delta because the whole 13 per cent derivation allocated to zone, cannot be disbursed due to decline in oil revenue largely caused by the attacks.
Abdulsalami said: "I have said before that they should really put down their arms and let's discuss on the reasons why they are fighting, let's sit down and discuss.
"They are doing nobody any good, in fact, they are hurting their area more than they think they are hurting Nigeria. It is their people that are mostly affected by the oil spill and all what they think they are fighting for.
"Now, because of their recklessness, I will put it that way, we are almost grounded in terms of oil exploration. So, even the money that is being allocated to them in the Niger Delta, that is, the 13 per cent derivation is no longer there. So, who is suffering?"
He therefore urged the Avengers to give peace a chance so that the country can move forward.
Abdulsalami continued:
"Let us maintain peace, let us be our brothers' keepers, there must be peace before any country can move forward. Let's give peace a chance and be our brothers' keeper; our umbilical cord is together and cannot be separated."
Kalu said there is need for President Muhammadu Buhari to negotiate with the Avengers.
Meanwhile, former National Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of the Nine Oil and Gas-Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON) and the Paramount Ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Delta State, HRM (Pere) Charles AyemiBotu, has asked the Federal Government to speed up its dialogue with Niger Delta militants to save the country from economic collapse.
The monarch said that not until President Buhari step into the crisis in the region, the violence would continue and could lead to the country's break-up.
Ayemi-Botu however pleaded with the militants to halt their attacks on oil and gas facilities in the region the interest of peace and development.
According to the monarch, "On his successful return from abroad expectations were high that the President would put the machinery in motion to start the dialogue with the Avengers by nominating people after due consultation with the governors of the affected states and inaugurate the committee with a deadline to submit their report.
"It is likely that he will not renege from his avowed promise to implement the peace process in the Niger Delta as he has already started cleaning up the long-awaited environmental pollution in Ogoni and hopefully extend it to Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states," he said.
Abdulsalami made the appeal at the weekend when hosted former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu at his residence in Minna, the Niger State capital.
He said that the raging crisis in the region, which the militants spearhead, is causing more pains for the people of the Niger Delta because the whole 13 per cent derivation allocated to zone, cannot be disbursed due to decline in oil revenue largely caused by the attacks.
Abdulsalami said: "I have said before that they should really put down their arms and let's discuss on the reasons why they are fighting, let's sit down and discuss.
"They are doing nobody any good, in fact, they are hurting their area more than they think they are hurting Nigeria. It is their people that are mostly affected by the oil spill and all what they think they are fighting for.
"Now, because of their recklessness, I will put it that way, we are almost grounded in terms of oil exploration. So, even the money that is being allocated to them in the Niger Delta, that is, the 13 per cent derivation is no longer there. So, who is suffering?"
He therefore urged the Avengers to give peace a chance so that the country can move forward.
Abdulsalami continued:
"Let us maintain peace, let us be our brothers' keepers, there must be peace before any country can move forward. Let's give peace a chance and be our brothers' keeper; our umbilical cord is together and cannot be separated."
Kalu said there is need for President Muhammadu Buhari to negotiate with the Avengers.
Meanwhile, former National Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of the Nine Oil and Gas-Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON) and the Paramount Ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Delta State, HRM (Pere) Charles AyemiBotu, has asked the Federal Government to speed up its dialogue with Niger Delta militants to save the country from economic collapse.
The monarch said that not until President Buhari step into the crisis in the region, the violence would continue and could lead to the country's break-up.
Ayemi-Botu however pleaded with the militants to halt their attacks on oil and gas facilities in the region the interest of peace and development.
According to the monarch, "On his successful return from abroad expectations were high that the President would put the machinery in motion to start the dialogue with the Avengers by nominating people after due consultation with the governors of the affected states and inaugurate the committee with a deadline to submit their report.
"It is likely that he will not renege from his avowed promise to implement the peace process in the Niger Delta as he has already started cleaning up the long-awaited environmental pollution in Ogoni and hopefully extend it to Delta, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states," he said.
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