It will be a shame to negotiate with @NDAvengers – Ex-militant gives Buhari the solution

Bibi Oduku, a former militant has cautioned the federal government not to negotiate with the Niger Delta Avengers and other militants in the region. Oduku, who is the commandant general of the Riverine Security, also known as the Coast Guard of the Federation, said engaging in dialogue with the militants will make attacks on oil installations as well as other forms of violence a vicious cycle in the area.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, June 15, he noted that negotiation will make the government look weak and it would motivate other violent groups to spring up, Nigerian Tribune reports.

“If Nigeria as a nation, as a great country called the giant of Africa says it wants to dialogue with Avengers, that means that is a shame to Nigeria as a nation,” Oduku said.

The former militant said it was left for the government to decide if previous negotiations with the militants yielded much fruits, adding that the problem of the Niger Delta has been solved through the amnesty package of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

“When these boys started as a militant platform and the Federal Government gave them opportunity of an amnesty, what was the meaning of the amnesty? It means they were dropping their arms and when they dropped their arms, it means they are not going to engage in any form of criminality.

“But the moment this President assumed duties, other militants started coming from all corners. Why didn’t the Federal Government even go to arrest all these people who said they were protecting the riverine areas, otherwise where did all these guns come from?” he queried.

Oduku said the government should consider planting a particular platform that should go against the issues in the region and also hold the militants responsible for their heinous crimes instead of the planned dialogue. 

Militants in the Niger Delta region have been blowing up oil and gas pipeline in the region and vowed to continue to do so until zero oil is produced.

The federal government had initially deployed military fighters to the region but later directed the immediate withdrawal of soldiers from the communities. 

The government ordered a two week ceasefire in order to give room for dialogue with the militants. 

Though the militants initially said they won’t negotiate with the government, they had a change of heart later and revealed they were ready for a dialogue in order to stop its pipeline vandalism. 

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