Ceasefire: More Militants Quit N’Delta Creeks, List Conditions for Peace

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Militants in the Niger Delta continued to embrace peace on Monday following the lead by the Niger Delta Avengers, which, for over seven months, held the nation hostage with the destruction of oil and gas infrastructure in the oil-rich region.

Besides the NDA which, in deference to some leaders of the region led by Chief Edwin Clark, accepted a ceasefire late Saturday, the Reformed Egbesu Fraternities comprising Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta, Egbesu Red Water Lions and Egbesu Mightier Fraternity, have also announced a 60-day armistice.

Joining the horde on Monday, another group of fighters, the Iduwini Volunteer Force (IVF), which operates from Bayelsa, noted that it was quitting the creeks temporarily to give the federal government a chance to meet the demands made by the militants.

“The leadership of the Iduwini Volunteer Force (IVF), rose from a crucial stakeholders meeting with all its unit commanders and zonal commanders to review the security situation in the Niger Delta vis-a-vis the attacks on oil and gas installations in the oil-rich region of the Niger Delta.

“The meeting which started early on Sunday evening , 21st August, 2016 lasted till the early hours of Monday 22nd August, 2016 in one of our creek locations.

“ And we deliberated extensively on the current security situation in the Niger Delta, the efforts of notable leaders to seek peace and dialogue in resolving the crisis”, the group led by Commander Johnson Biboye noted.

While commending the role played by the elders in the region, the group warned that any attempt to politicise or derail the peace process would be met with stiff resistance.

The group added that it also discussed very elaborately, the Federal Government’s desire to ensure that peace prevails in the Niger Delta region and have decided to key into the process.

“The meeting resolved as follows: that all freedom fighting groups in the Niger Delta should embrace peace and cease fire as a mark of honour to the concerted efforts of these our notable leaders in
enhancing the peace process.

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