The Conference of Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta (CENND) and the Ijaw Media Action Initiative (IMAI) have pleaded with militant groups in the Niger Delta region not to resume hostilities as threatened.
The militants have been asked not to carry out their plans to start blowing up oil installations, therefore bringing an end the ceasefire agreement held with the federal government.
The appeal comes on the heels of threats by militant groups, the Niger Delta Avengers and the Coalition of Niger Delta Militants, stating their readiness to end their ceasefire and resume hostilities in the region.
The militant groups pointed to the federal government’s failure to attend to the challenges being faced in the region as one of the reasons for their decision.
According to them, the federal government is dealing with those who were not mandated by the people to speak for them.
In an interview with the Punch, the CENND president, Prof. Kimse Okoko, said though the militants speak the truth concerning the FG’s negligence of the region, violence would only worsen things.
He said if the militants resume blowing-up pipelines, the already poor environmental conditions would only get worse.
Okoko expressed his frustration with the never-ending cycle of negotiations between Niger Delta groups and successive governments, creating the impression the government does not know what the region needs.
He said, “sometimes, I get frustrated listening to continued negotiations between Group A and Group B.
“The impression they are trying to create is that successive governments do not know what the Niger Delta wants. This motion without movement will not help anybody,” he added.
His position was reiterated by the IMAI national coordinator, Victor Burubo.
He said: “For the sake of our people, let us not go into another destruction of our environment.
It will only expose us to harassment by soldiers. Though the government is showing bad faith, we have to show good faith.
“The government has been very insincere in dealing with the Niger Delta.
Up till this time, we have not seen what they (FG) have done. But the solution is to continue to embrace dialogue and not destroying oil facilities and endangering our environment.”
