Buhari government commences talks with ND militants – Boroh

Brigadier-General Paul Boroh (Rtd)

– Buhari’s aide on Niger Delta affairs revealed that the government is negotiating with the militants

– He also explained why Niger Delta Avengers cannot be a part of the amnesty programme

Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd.), presidential aide on Niger Delta matters and coordinator of amnesty programme, has stated the federal government commenced negotiations with the militants.

He stated that the talks are organizing through the dialogue committee with a view to halting the lasting hostility and bombing of oil pipelines in the region.

According to him, the Nigerian authorities have no plan to bring in more Niger Delta militants into the amnesty programme, comprising the Niger Delta Avengers.

Boroh was speaking on a television programme monitored in Abuja. The presidential aide clarified that his mandate was to reintegrate only 30,000 ex-agitators taken in the programme and cannot go beyond the limit to bring in more militants.

He said: “Amnesty programme worldwide has a limit because it is a master piece strategy to resolve militancy. When that of Nigeria was established in 2009, it was supposed to exist for a particular time.

“I do not intend to bring in more into the programme because that is not my mandate. My mandate is to reintegrate 30,000 ex-agitators into the programme that are already in the programme. But this number is bloated because communities affected during the conflicts, government is also taking care of them. Some of them are undergoing skills acquisition and training.

“I do not think that the Federal Government is going to have another amnesty programme, it is very expensive and presently, our economy is not in the right status. So, it should not be a permanent programme.

“It is better to gain an employment than wait for amnesty programme. Let us think of how to create jobs and develop the country. It is better to work than think of a programme that will give you a stipend every month.”

The NDA commenced threatening attacks in the beginning of 2016.

Since May, gas and oil facilities have been bombing frequently, cutting Nigeria’s oil production by nearly one-third, from 2.2 million to 1.5 million barrels per day.

President Buhari at first answered with tough talk, saying that Nigeria will deal with militants like with Boko Haram insurgents — but now he has resorted to begging the attackers to stop devastating the economy.