For the first time since the federal government of Nigeria indicated their willingness to engage the militants of the oil-rich region in peace talks, the Niger Delta Avengers have said they are now ready for dialogue, but not without conditions.
In a press statement posted on the Avengers’ website on Monday and signed by a person named Mudoch Agbinibo, the Avengers stated their conditions for dialogue with the federal government. The militants want a genuine attitude and conducive atmosphere to allow them commit to any proposed dialogue and ‘last’ peace talk. They also want a dialogue that will not be turned to a political jamboree by the government.
“The high command of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) is using this medium to restate that there are no new items to put on the table for dialogue, we only want a genuine attitude and conducive atmosphere that will make us commit to any proposed dialogue and last peace talk.”
“We want the federal government to commit members states of the multi national Oil Corporations to commit independent mediators to this proposed dialogue; we believed that it is only such environment that will engender genuine dialogue that will be aimed at setting up a framework for achieving the short, medium and long term demands of the Niger delta to de-escalating this conflict and bring about a lasting peace.”
“The issues of the Niger delta are as old and as new as the days of Pa. Dappa Biriye, Major Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro, to Ken Saro Wiwa and the government of President Musa Yar’ Adua. We are warning this government of President Muhammadu Buhari, not to turn the essence of genuine peace talk and dialogue to political jamboree that is prevailing now where all manner of social media agitators and criminals have being sponsored by the job seeking corrupt political class to safe faces before the government of the day,” the Avengers wrote.
The clause ‘member states of the multi-national Oil Corporations’ stated in the release by the militants, remains ambiguous. It is not clear if the Avengers want the proposed peace talk to involve countries like Italy, United States of America and the Netherlands that own multi-national oil companies operating in the Niger Delta or if they meant the involvement of south-south states where the multi-national oil companies operate in Nigeria.
The NDA also threatened to sink two ‘mother vessels’ of the oil corporations and international refineries operating in the Niger Delta, if they attempt to repair pipelines or oil and gas facilities that were damaged during attacks by the militants.
“The NDA high command is restating our commitment to attack the interest of Oil Corporation and international refineries operators that bring in vessels to the Niger delta territory to buy our oil that every successive government have refused to used and reapply the proceeds towards any development in the region since 1958. If they refuse be heed to our advice will result to sinking of two their mother vessel as an examples to others They should not undertake any repair of pipeline, oil and gas facilities that is damaged or attacked by our forces during this period of “Operation Red Economy” until and/or after the dialogue,” the NDA added.
Since the Niger Delta Avengers group is the only major militant group from the oil region that has been against the proposed peace talk before now, their new found willingness to dialogue with the Nigerian government is a positive development in the quest to restore calm in the restive region.
