Give peace talks a chance - Community leaders beg Niger Delta Avengers

macfranc007 November 06, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 David Oladele

- Edwin Clark, the National Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, urged Niger Delta Avengers to end its threat to recommence bombing of oil facilities in the region

- Clark said it is disappointing for some government officials who insulted him for his efforts to find peace in the region

- He, however, maintained that he had volunteered himself and would not turn back

Chief Edwin Clark, the National Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and other Niger Delta on Sunday, November 5, appealed to Niger Delta Avengers to end its threat to recommence bombing of oil facilities in the region.

Vanguard reports that Chief Clark slammed the federal government for creating doubts and suspicion in the minds of people and militants with its sloppy handling of the 16-point demand of PANDEF submitted to President Buhari, November 1.

According to him, ''Those peddling the rumour are unpatriotic and liars. It is very absurd for one to be insulted both by your own people who are monetary-minded, unpatriotic and by government, but we cannot run away from our responsibility.

''Whatever happened between February and August last year, regarding pipeline bombing was not in anybody’s favour.

''That was why some of us came out, we convened a meeting of Niger Delta elders, leaders, monarchs and stakeholders at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI ) Effurun, Warri.

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''Over 500 people attended the meeting. The governor of Delta state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, addressed the meeting, which was the beginning of PANDEF.

“We, therefore, appealed to the youths to cease hostilities, that we would negotiate on their behalf and they accepted. On November 1, 2016, I led over 100 delegates to meet president.''

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, called off a ceasefire agreement it had with the federal government.

The group which became popular for carrying out attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta region in 2016, in a statement posted on its website on Friday, November 3, vowed to resume attacks on oil installations any day from now.

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