– In his recent interview, Femi Adesina explains the
main challenge in the talks with Niger Delta
militants
main challenge in the talks with Niger Delta
militants
– He admits that the country is facing hard times,
but he assured that President Buhari share the pains
of Nigerians
– Buhari’s aide said that the families of government
officials are also passing through tough times
The presidency has disclosed how President
Muhammadu Buhari is planning to return the peace
for the Niger Delta region.
Femi Adesina, presidential media aide, was on
Radio Continental on July 22 and responded to
salient issues affecting the nation.
Speaking on the crisis in oil rich Niger Delta region,
Adesina said: “The government is not averse to
negotiation. Even when things are done through
force of arms, at the end of the day, they would be
concluded through negotiations.
“The president specifically instructed the Office of
the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to engage in
dialogue with the militants. One problem is that
there are scores of groups in the Niger Delta, not
just a group. When they meet with one, the rest
would say they are fake and a particular one is the
real one. This is a major challenge.”
Presidency assured that they know that things are
very difficult in the country. Buhari’s aide, however,
stated that it is not peculiar to Nigeria, as a number
of countries like Venezuala are going through tough
times.
“Nigeria is not immune from that because it is part
of the global system. In the recent past, on a radio
interview, I had been asked: ‘Does government
know that people are suffering and that people are
complaining?’ I answered that government is aware
of what the citizens are passing through, and the
radio station went further to ask if I know that a
man exchanged his son for a bag of rice? And I
responded that I wasn’t aware, but that the support
base of this administration is still very strong, and
people who are ready to pass through this difficult
times patiently are more than those who criticize
the governments,” he added.
“Our wives and children go to the market, we also
feel the harsh situation. Yes, Nigerians are passing
through tough times, but tough times don’t last ,
only tough people do. I said, and I repeat again,
that the tough times we are going through are the
consequences of the past. But some people say
they don’t want to hear about the past. How can
you not want to hear about the past? How do you
determine the future if you don’t want to hear about
the past?”
President Buhari has announced recently that his
government is talking to militants in the Niger Delta
to end a wave of attacks on oil and gas facilities
which have drastically cut oil production.
Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Avengers, a militant
group that has claimed responsibility for a series of
attacks, said it was not aware of any talks.
