Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari needs to address grievances in the Delta region where militants have been blowing up oil pipelines in a conflict that has become a “major concern”, a senior British official said yesterday. The swamps of the southern Delta have been hit by a series of attacks on pipelines and other oil and gas facilities that have reduced Nigeria’s output by 300,000 barrels a day, closed a major export port and two refineries. [b] Nigeria has moved in army reinforcements to hunt the militants but British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond said Buhari needed to the deal with the root causes because a military confrontation could end in “disaster”.

Crude sales from the Delta account for 70 percent of national income in Africa’s biggest economy but residents, some of whom sympathise with the militants, have long complained of poverty. “It’s obviously a major concern,” Hammond told reporters on the sidelines of a regional security conference in Abuja when asked about the Delta situation. “The idea that your answer is by moving big chunks of the Nigerian army to the Delta simply doesn’t work,” he said, adding that the army did not have the capacity while fighting Boko Haram jihadists in the north. “It won’t deal with the underlying issues.” “Buhari has got to show as a president from the north that he is not ignoring the Delta, that he is engaging with the challenges in the Delta,” Hammond said. Buhari is a Muslim from the north who has not visited the Christian Delta since taking office a year ago, something highlighted by a militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, [/b] which has claimed a string of attacks on pipelines. The group has warned oil firms to leave the region within two weeks and says it is fighting for independence for the Delta. It has said it wanted a greater share of oil revenues and an end to oil pollution.

The attacks have driven Nigerian oil output to near a 22-year low and, if the violence escalates into another insurgency, it could cripple output in a country facing a growing economic crisis. Buhari, who has not commented about not visiting the Delta, has extended a multi-million dollar amnesty signed with militants in 2009 but upset them by ending generous pipeline protection contracts. He also cut the amnesty budget by around 70 percent, which partly funds training for unemployed.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/uk-warns-buhari-using-military-confrontation-in-niger-delta-could-end-in-disaster/

70% of Nigeria's foreign earnings come from the Niger Delta, 70%.
Government should sit down and talk to the militants, they have the capability to cripple the Nigerian economy.

Buhari, who has not commented about not visiting the Delta, has extended a multi-million dollar amnesty signed with militants in 2009 " but upset them by ending generous pipeline protection contracts". This is the real problem, the avengers don't need PMB to pay them a visit, all they need is free access to oyel and free flow of cash the way they're used to under their brother.

Only the wise ones will understand.

Holding feds by the balls is really dicey especially when there are other copy cats waiting to see what happens, I don't think buhari will easily fall for this

oh please UK stop it already. don't tell me you know I'm a wailer and that you've heard my wailings.

to hell with the Uk

The UK rep and Vanguard should STFU.

Are they not aware of what happened during Jona's regime?

With all the amnesty and pipeline protection contract give to the people of SS, who has it 'epped'.

You don't armtwist every government that comes to power for your own selfish interest.

What did asari do with all the money he got from the previous government? Build a university in Benin Republic.

What did tompolo do with his own share?

How about there grandpa clerk?

PMB should use everything within his power to stop those miscreants who wants money for themselves not the development of SS.

If only the old man will understand, the only thing him nd his kinsmen understand is kill and destroy.

MYND44 , this topic don reach like five na , you dey sleep ?

A word is enough for the wise

buhari and APC have nothing positive to offer this country.

TippyTop:
70% of Nigeria's foreign earnings comes from the Niger Delta, 70%.
Government should sit down and talk to the militants, they have the capability to cripple the Nigerian economy.

And the army has the capacity to cripple their bloody asses

It is just a question of time before Nigerians realize the grave danger of voting in this vindictive dogonyaro who has remained perpetually insensitive to the plight of the masses......Iranu oshi. I only pity the foolish youths here who refused to get wiser as they grew older.

AdiscoPele:
The UK rep and Vanguard should STFU.

Are they not aware of what happened during Jona's regime?

With all the amnesty and pipeline protection contract give to the people of SS, who has it 'epped'.

You don't armtwist every government that comes to power for your own selfish interest.

What did asari do with all the money he got from the previous government? Build a university in Benin Republic.

What did tompolo do with his own share?

How about there grandpa clerk?

PMB should use everything within his power to stop those miscreants who wants money for themselves not the development of SS.

how about developing niger delta? How about making sure that the oil companies clean up after them and not contaminating the region? Have you seen the waters down there? Its really amazing that buhari is quick to dispatch the military to niger delta but has refused to do anything about the herdsmen killing humans. Buhari would rather protect pipelines than human beings. I weep for nigeria.

Civil war looms...

The attacks have driven Nigerian oil output to near a 22-year low and, if the violence escalates into another insurgency, it could cripple output in a country facing a growing economic crisis.

tomakint:
It is just a question of time before Nigerians realize the grave danger of voting in this vindictive dogonyaro who has remained perpetually insensitive to the plight of the masses......Iranu oshi. I only pity the foolish youths here who refused to get wiser as they grew older.

Northerners hold 83% of the oil blocks, why


Buhary...

engrfaruq:


And the army has the capacity to cripple their bloody asses

Seriously!? the last time the militants had to surrender the lure of money

Buhari u haven't even visited the region that gives u money for your numerous excursions, Nawa ooo honourable minister of petroleum for mouth

Let buhari continue like a mad cow.

His supporters like fulanimafia, omenka, etc have been cheering him on saying he is a veteren, retired General, blablabla forgeting that all the soldiers in Nigeria cannot protect our pipelines.

Oil remains the mainstay of Nigeria's economy and if Buhari does not manage this situation with maturity, he might end up running his government with proceeds from sales of kwilikwili & donkwa with sugar cane.

That is how Nigerian government boasted in 1967 that they would defeat Biafra in two weeks but Britain & Russia had to move in heavy military gear for them to win the war which was even eventually won by starvation.

Lest I forget, the Niger Delta Avengers are from Malawi so Buhrai should invade malawi.

Nonsense warning

"Buhari is a Muslim from the north who has not visited the Christian Delta since taking office a year ago, something highlighted by a militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers." Nonsense piece of thrash

Who be UK..

Is that the same person as Eucharia?

Hmmm which way?

Baba must thread with caution

Luckylife:
Only the wise ones will understand.

A wise man won't negotiate with terrorists.. Instead you set up appointment for them with their maker

Btw lemme ask Putin what he would av done to curb this.. Hang on pal

The Dullardo of daura won't heed to advice!
Zombies go soon tire.

Non niger deltans will shout kill them all...

Niger Deltans will cheer the avengers on.

At the end, what we need is transparency and empathy to the niger delta plight...it is not till it ends in armed struggle that government will take steps to address issues....the FG should be proactive and diplomatic.

Yeah, your balls itch so take a sledge hammer to it quickly! Happy? Just do yourself a favour.....get some real bra*ns up there and clear out the putty!

engrfaruq:


And the army has the capacity to cripple their bloody asses

engrfaruq:


And the army has the capacity to cripple their bloody asses

Has the army been able to cripple the bokos?

It's really a dicey situation

I like that sound


haaaaaaaaaaaaaa izon


lets go there