The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu, has expressed concern and disappointment over the recent pipeline
attacks by militants in the Niger Delta region.
There have been three attacks in the last two weeks despite
efforts being made for dialogue between the Federal Government and citizens
from the region.
Kachikwu, who hails from the region, said he was saddened by
the developments in the area despite months of intensive personal and
collective efforts to engage all stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
The minister, in a statement issued by the spokesperson of
his ministry, Mr. Idang Alibi, on Friday in Abuja, said the bombings by
militants still occurred despite the recent success in convening a meeting with
President Muhammadu Buhari, which aimed at exploring the opportunities for
deepening the dialogue.
He condemned the wanton attacks and reiterated that the path
to providing lasting solution to the Niger Delta challenges was through
dialogue.
Kachikwu appealed and enjoined all interested stakeholders
in the Niger Delta to embrace the path of peace and dialogue and shun acts that
further create difficulties for the country, impoverish the region and worsen
the ecological problems of communities in the affected states.
He urged all militant groups to stop the attacks and give
the ensuing dialogue a chance to birth peace in the region.
The petroleum minister, however, stated that as distraught
as he and most ministers from the Niger Delta region were with the unfortunate
incidents, they would not give up, but would continue to work under the mandate
of the President to see how to solve the challenges in the region.
culled from punch
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