Abe lauds takeoff of Ogoni clean-up, urges dialogue with militants

Former Minister of Defence and pioneer Chairman, Presidential Committee on the Implementation of the Amnesty Programme, under late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Major General Godwin Abbe (rtd) has commended the Federal government’s implementation of the UNEP Ogoni cleanup exercise

Speaking yesterday at the public presentation of a book, Abe said it was the right thing for the Federal Government to do under the prevailing circumstances and urged the communities to take advantage of the opportunities the exercise would offer.

Abbe condemned the spate of bombings being masterminded by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) but called on the government to find ways of dialoguing with the militants.

He said the physical development of the Niger Delta, which was a priority under Yar’Adua, was truncated by his death. “I am therefore pained at the resumption of hostilities, heightened insecurity, economic sabotage, and environmental degradation resulting from attacks on oil installations.

“No nation, especially the government will sit back and watch critical national assets being destroyed by a group of persons, under any disguise. That cannot be tolerated, and must be stopped. These strategic national infrastructures are actually national security assets and must be protected at all costs. I want to emphasise that national interest must override any sectional or group motives, and indeed how grievances are expressed in the polity.”

He continued; “Guns do not make or build peace. Therefore I strongly appeal to the new group of agitators calling themselves the Niger Delta Avengers to stop their violent strategy and rather embrace dialogue as the most honourable way to pursue their grievances. The window of dialogue is always open in democratic governance.”

Abbe said winning peace in the Niger Delta was urgent and should be the collective responsibility of every Nigerian, as “Nigeria cannot afford the continuation of this tensed scenario in the Niger Delta, not just for the well being of the citizens in the area, but also at this time of economic downturn”

He also commended the Federal Government and his colleagues in the military for successes being achieved in the war against terrorists in the North East.