Revealed: 10 reasons why Buhari should not negotiate with Niger Delta Avengers
– President Muhammadu Buhari should not succumb to the threats of the Niger Delta Avengers based on a so-called negotiation
– A round-table talk with the militant group will not ameliorate the economic challenges of the Niger Delta region
– The federal government should avoid what happened in the past like the amnesty programme which was more of a drain-pipe
Various interest groups are calling on the federal government to dialogue with the Niger Delta Avengers. The simple truth is that this is not the best solution. It should be fresh in the minds of Nigerians that despite all what have been done for the South-south region like: Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Ministry of Niger Delta, increase in revenue, the people of the region still take up arms against the state.
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President Buhari should avoid being cowed to submitting to the ulterior motives of those who want to reap from where they do not sow with the planned talk. The president should think of a more holistic and feasible solution to stemming the tide of the militant groups in the Niger Delta region, rather than negotiating with them.
The debate on whether the president should open negotiations with the Niger Delta militants have been on for a while. While a good number of southerners embrace the development, the northerners do not consider it necessary.
One of the Avengers (L) and President Muhammadu Buhari (R)
In reality, the government needs to weigh its options carefully on a sensitive case as this. However, not offering negotiation with them may be more advantageous to Nigeria as a country.
Below are seven reasons why the president should not dialogue or offer amnesty to Niger Delta Avengers:
1. Advanced democracies of the world don’t dialogue with militants or terrorists
Who is a terrorist? The United States of America Code of Federal Regulations defines terrorist as “an individual or group of persons who engages in use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”
The activities of the Niger Delta militants obviously has some, if not all of the characteristics noted in the definition. However, it is against international law for the government of a country to negotiate with any terrorist group.
2. Negotiation will not stop corruption
It is believed that some of the militant groups who are taking up arms against the government are doing so with the support and sponsorship of their godfathers. These ‘godfathers’ have an interest to protect both in negotiation and ‘expected amnesty.’ They hope to benefit financially from whatever decisions reached from negotiation and opening negotiation table will only give them ample space to achieve their set aim.
3. Will it make people of the region benefit?
Today, there is a proliferation of different groups who claim to be genuine fighters for the region. The Niger Delta Avengers, Red Devil, High Sea Commandoes, and a host of faceless people involved in economic sabotage. Who will the government negotiate with?
4. Militancy will not stop
Youths currently engaged in militancy have the gut to ask for amnesty because their predecessor did same and succeeded. If granted, others will come into the ‘business’ and continue to hold the government to ransom.
5. Federal government should think about its implications
If the federal government negotiates and offers the Niger Delta militants an economic package, groups in other regions will have the advantage of holding the government to ransom at the slightest provocation. Already, the northerners are clamouring for amnesty for the Boko Haram group, an insurgency group considered terrorists.
6. The cost of granting amnesty is too high
President Musa Yar’ Adua in 2010 introduced the amnesty programme to douse the tension in the Niger Delta region and in order to allow unfettered lifting of crude oil. However, that was a time crude oil still sold at good prices. The current economic situation where government at all levels owe salaries of civil servants may not be able to run such programme.
7. No tangible solution so far
The special adviser to former president Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Matters Kingsley Kuku said at a departure ceremony for 186 ex-militants who were leaving for training in the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa that 16,683 ex-militants have so far received training or are receiving training since the start of the program.
Four thousand former militants are underwent training in 2013, and added that 6,000 more received training in 2014 and similar number in 2015. With the huge investment and commitment from the government, one would expect the region to have transformed for the better in human capacity but the reverse seems to be the case. Why spend hugely on a less effective programme?
8. Government dictates in any political setting
It is totally out of place to see the federal government succumb to cheap blackmail. Nigeria, as country has all the federal might to decimate any threat posed by any militant group. It is the government of President Buhari that cut the feathers of Boko Haram insurgency, which had ravaged the Northeast region for some years. If it is still the same Buhari who did this, he should find a way of directing the military to ensure peace returns to the Niger Delta region.
9. Sending a wrong signal to the outside world
The international community is keenly interested at everything that happens in Nigeria. The major income earner of the country is crude oil. Foreign oil companies owned by the Americans and Europeans are involved in oil exploration business in Nigeria. They will be waiting for the federal government to take a drastic and final decision on the upsurge of militancy in the South-south.
A good number of these oil companies have been giving huge amount of money to elders and some militant leaders in the Niger Delta for donkey years. This is just to prevent attack on their oil facilities and installations, yet they come back demanding for more money, and still carry out attacks if they are not settled.
10. Nigeria belongs to all
No section or group of individuals can hold the country by the jugular; ditto the Niger Delta Avengers. Therefore, it is out of place to give much importance to any form of dialogue. As a matter of expediency, the government should place anyone suspected to be involved in militancy under surveillance .
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