ABUJA — Apparently moved by the threats
of Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force,
JNDLF, to bomb major government buildings
in Abuja starting midnight today, the Federal
Government, yesterday, called for an
emergency security meeting.
The meeting, which appeared to be a
strategic one, had in attendance the 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, among others.
The meeting came on a day the main co-
ordinator 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 which started at about 10a.m.
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
zone.
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.
Need to share intelligence
“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.”
On amnesty programme
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.
Nigeria not at war
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."
SRC vanguard news
of Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force,
JNDLF, to bomb major government buildings
in Abuja starting midnight today, the Federal
Government, yesterday, called for an
emergency security meeting.
The meeting, which appeared to be a
strategic one, had in attendance the 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, among others.
The meeting came on a day the main co-
ordinator 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 which started at about 10a.m.
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
zone.
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.
Need to share intelligence
“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.”
On amnesty programme
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.
Nigeria not at war
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."
SRC vanguard news
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