President
Muhammadu Buhari has dropped the idea of military option as a way of restoring
peace to the troubled Niger Delta region, which has been experiencing renewed
militancy lately.
He has
therefore endorsed Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s ongoing dialogue in the
region, which has so far taken him to Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa and Imo states.
A top
government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, on Sunday, confirmed
this to some journalists in Abuja on Sunday.
The official
said a series of meetings between Buhari and Osinbajo early this year resolved
that the Federal Government should embrace the oil-producing communities by
encouraging their leaders and traditional rulers, who met the President last
year.
“The President
also decided to play down the use of open military tactics and gave firm
instructions on this ahead of his delegation instructions to the Vice-President
to embark on the ongoing trips to Niger Delta states,” he said.
The official
added that Buhari’s instruction to the Acting President, while embarking on the
tour of the region, was to ensure that “all interests are brought to the table,
regardless of parties or any other differing factors or cleavages.”
He disclosed
that Buhari had also instructed that the Amnesty Programme should not only be
sustained but more budgetary allocation should be made for the scheme.
He was said to
have asked Osinbajo to make the decision known to the communities during his
visits.
He added, “It
was also at the meetings the President held with his deputy that President
Buhari firmed up the resolve that the Maritime University project in Delta
State would be fully supported by the Federal Government.
“Before then,
there had been an open disagreement between two ministers from the Niger Delta
region on the fate of the university.
“Besides, the
President also asked the Vice-President to ensure that during the visits, the
communities should be made to understand that the government is now interested
in action and would do its own part.
“The
Vice-President was also asked to secure from the communities a buy-in of peace
and collaboration from state governments and the oil companies in particular.”
He added that
Buhari and Osinbajo also agreed that any immediate and reasonable requests of
the communities would be considered to build confidence that all parties could
then build upon.
The official
explained that some local oil companies were also involved to facilitate the
process, which then began with the visit of the Vice-President to Gbaramatu
Kingdom last month, just before the President embarked on his vacation to the
United Kingdom.
President
Muhammadu Buhari has dropped the idea of military option as a way of restoring
peace to the troubled Niger Delta region, which has been experiencing renewed
militancy lately.
He has
therefore endorsed Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s ongoing dialogue in the
region, which has so far taken him to Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa and Imo states.
A top
government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, on Sunday, confirmed
this to some journalists in Abuja on Sunday.
The official
said a series of meetings between Buhari and Osinbajo early this year resolved
that the Federal Government should embrace the oil-producing communities by
encouraging their leaders and traditional rulers, who met the President last
year.
“The President
also decided to play down the use of open military tactics and gave firm
instructions on this ahead of his delegation instructions to the Vice-President
to embark on the ongoing trips to Niger Delta states,” he said.
The official
added that Buhari’s instruction to the Acting President, while embarking on the
tour of the region, was to ensure that “all interests are brought to the table,
regardless of parties or any other differing factors or cleavages.”
He disclosed
that Buhari had also instructed that the Amnesty Programme should not only be
sustained but more budgetary allocation should be made for the scheme.
He was said to
have asked Osinbajo to make the decision known to the communities during his
visits.
He added, “It
was also at the meetings the President held with his deputy that President
Buhari firmed up the resolve that the Maritime University project in Delta
State would be fully supported by the Federal Government.
“Before then,
there had been an open disagreement between two ministers from the Niger Delta
region on the fate of the university.
the President
also asked the Vice-President to ensure that during the visits, the communities
should be made to understand that the government is now interested in action
and would do its own part.
“The
Vice-President was also asked to secure from the communities a buy-in of peace
and collaboration from state governments and the oil companies in particular.”
He added that
Buhari and Osinbajo also agreed that any immediate and reasonable requests of
the communities would be considered to build confidence that all parties could
then build upon.
The official
explained that some local oil companies were also involved to facilitate the
process, which then began with the visit of the Vice-President to Gbaramatu
Kingdom last month, just before the President embarked on his vacation to the
United Kingdom.
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