President Muhammadu Buhari has offered to meet personally with governors, elders and other stakeholders in the Niger Delta as part of his efforts towards seeking peace in the region following renewed sabotage of oil and gas installations by militants.
President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Udens Eradiri, disclosed yesterday that the Presidency has contacted elders and stakeholders to inform them of Buhari’s intention to dialogue on peace.
Eradiri, who spoke barely 24 hours after the president pleaded with the militants to cease hostilities 'in the name of Almighty God', didn't say when exactly the meeting may take place but hinted that stakeholders will meet soon on the crisis and way forward.
Buhari told leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) at a fast-breaking dinner on Friday that activities of the militants were hampering Nigeria’s development.
"No insurance company will want to insure installations that would end up being blown up and no banks will want to finance such installations.
"Those of you who have friends among the leadership or even the militants themselves should plead with them in the name of Almighty God to take it easy."
Meanwhile, Eradiri commended the president for heeding the IYC's advice to use dialogue in resoving the crisis in the region.
"We want to commend the president because I heard from the grapevine from one of our foremost governors and leader of Ijaw land this morning (yesterday) when he said that they have been invited by the president for an engagement with respect to the Niger Delta crises."
Oil production in the country now hovers around 1.8 million barrels per day from 2.5mbpd following the militants' attacks.
