By Baron Ike
Supporters of Preasident Muhammadu Buhari under the guise of Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) are canvassing a common endeavour among the aggrieved militant groups in the Niger Delta for the success of the on-going dialogue between the Federal Government and leaders from the zone on the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Development Forum (PANDEF).
They want the Niger Delta elders who are leading the discussion with the president to do everything within their powers to pacify the aggrieved militants in the interest of development and peaceful coexistence.
BMSG said in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Muhammad Labbo and Secretary, Cassidy Maduke, that dialogue as a good leap in efforts towards ensuring amicable resolution of crises in the Niger Delta was necessary.
The BMSG said the line of dialogue which the Federal Government opened with PANDEF is germane on the need to end hostilities in the Niger Delta zone. The dialogue, the group contended, will help to bring the Niger Delta area on board plans to end the biting recession in the country with full resumption of economic activities in the zone.
It hailed the primary success that trailed the meeting between President Buhari and the leaders from Niger Delta, noting that both the youths from the zone and the leaders need to henceforth work in synergy to crown all efforts towards ensuring the on-going dialogue produces very positive results.
BMSG also urges the plethora of militant groups to harmonise their demands and present a common position before the Federal Government through the elders who participated in the dialogue with the President.
The group said it would be counter-productive for the aggrieved Niger Delta militants to work at cross-purposes against every effort aimed towards addressing hostilities in the Niger Delta region.
The group said it was about time leaders of thought in the Niger Delta seized the scope of their on-going dialogue with the Federal Government to take urgent and necessary steps towards pacifying the militant groups, many of who they are familiar with their need, to unite and embrace the on-going dialogue for peace with the Federal Government.
BMSG said the entire Niger Delta zone has a lot to gain from plans to return the zone to a lasting peace, given the multi-faceted programmes the government had proposed for developing the area, anchored on youths empowerment, education, infrastructural development, the clean-up of devastated lands in the oil producing areas, among others.
“We contend that since every conflict has always ended on a negotiation table, the aggrieved youths in the Niger Delta should see the on-going dialogue by the government with their leaders as a window of opportunity to address their own demands and collective desire to live as responsible citizens of Nigeria while doing away with militancy,” the group said.