We want to dialogue with Niger Delta Avengers, others – Nigerian Government

The Nigerian government has expressed its commitment to dialogue with militants in the Niger Delta.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, said on Saturday that the presence of soldiers in the region does not mean the government was opposed to dialogue.

Speaking specifically about the Niger Delta Avengers, whose recent activities have caused a decline in Nigeria’s oil and power output, Mr. Lawal said the group needed to identify its representatives for a dialogue.

“Government is not averse to discussing with them (militants) but we need to know who is in charge and who we can discuss with meaningfully; that’s the dilemma of the government at the moment”, he said.

“There are so many groups making it difficult to know who to talk to and the level of control that group will bring to the process.”

He appealed to leaders of Niger Delta communities to intervene by calling the militants to order, pointing out that the activities of the militants were more inimical to the region than other parts of the country.

“When they blow up oil pipelines, the spill destroys their water and lands, a development that will take years to recover. They are more victims than the rest of Nigerians,” he said.

Mr. Lawal said the activities of the militants, which he described as “pure act of sabotage,” had seriously affected the nation’s crude oil export and energy supply”.










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