Dialogue with Buhari: Militants make U-turn

– Three militant groups in the Niger Delta region have agreed to be included in the dialogue with the federal government

– The federal government has been making frantic efforts to get militants to the dialogue table in the wake of recent bombing of oil and gas facilities

– However, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the foremost militant group in the region, has counted itself out of talks with the government

The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) has consistently rejected to take part in the dialogue with the federal government.

Three militant groups in the Niger Delta region have backpedalled on their earlier decision not to allow the Niger Delta Dialogue and Contact Group (NDDCG) to represent them in the ongoing dialogue with the federal government.

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According to Vanguard, the groups which have now agreed to be included in the dialogue are; Reformed Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta, Egbesu Red Water Lions and Egbesu Mightier Fraternity.

Confirming their part in the dialogue, the leadership of Reformed Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta in an electronic mail on behalf of other affiliate groups, said: “A fortnight ago,  we responded to this subject matter wherein we stated emphatically that the Niger Delta Dialogue and Contact Group  had no mandate to negotiate on our behalf in respect of the renewed hostilities against oil and gas facilities.

“We wish to state that the leadership of the Reformed Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta, including the Egbesu Red Water Lions  and the Egbesu  Mightier Fraternity have been duly consulted and our mandate secured for the negotiation by the  Diette- Spiff- led committee.”

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The federal government has been making frantic efforts to get militants to the dialogue table in the wake of recent bombing of oil and gas facilities which have reduced Nigeria’s crude oil export to an all-time low.

However, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the foremost militant group in the region, has counted itself out of the NDDCG talks with the government.

MEND spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, who also confirmed the talks, said groups like Avengers and other internet-based militants were not part of it.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian army caused panic in the Arepo area of Ogun state and some part of Lagos state as soldiers bombarded the base of suspected Niger Delta militants in the state.

The Punch reports that scores of militants were feared killed in the joint army operation which lasted for several hours.

The source revealed that the army attacked Fatola, the base of the militants, continuing that houses around the area were shaken by the impact of bomb blasts on the Ijaw militants.

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