BEVERLY HILLS, July 10, (THEWILL) – Prominent elders and monarchs from Bayelsa State has alerted President Muhammadu Buhari that some of his aides were frustrating the proposed dialogue between government and the militant Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, claiming that indications of deceit, fraud and disharmony among the aides have made the militants sceptical of the peace talks.
While eulogizing the President for taking a decision to lead the dialogue, the elders regretted that discordant tunes among presidential aides created doubts in the process.
The elders, under the auspices of Bayelsa Elders for Progress, Peace and Good Governance, BEPPGG, led by their Coordinator, Chief Ayibatonye Goodnews and Secretary, Chief Lucky Ebifaghe, wondered why attacks on pipelines had continued despite dialogue and ceasefire.
They alleged that the recent activities of key aides from the region including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu and the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, were frustrating the peace efforts of the Federal Government.
In an open letter to the President, the concerned elders said: “President Buhari should investigate the genuiness of purported meetings held between the Presidential Amnesty Boss, Paul Boroh and Dr. Ibe Kachichukwu.
“How can they claim to have met stakeholders and the militant attacks continues? They met some fake militants and stakeholders and wasted scarce resources of the Federal Government on jamboree.
“The Amnesty Boss,who claimed to have relocated to the creeks of the region was only sighted in Tompolo’s community with clandestine meetings without solution to the continued bombing of the Oil and Gas facilities.
“Buhari should investigate the money expended on the jamboree without result. We insist that the Presidential Amnesty Office should be probed following the alleged failed sharing of resources to fake avengers.
“The lack of knowledge on key issues of the region and wrong signals sent to militants along the creeks are frustrating the needed peace process. Many of the purported stakeholders have made money from the self created jamboree in the region. Genuine Niger Delta Stakeholders should be consulted for sustained peace.”
