Daily Independent (Lagos)
Sam AkpeChesa, Sunny Igboanugo, Paul Arhewe, Adeola Yusuf, Ofonime Umanah and Joe Ezuma
16 July 2009
Insurgents announced a "temporary" ceasefire on Wednesday "to allow for a peaceful negotiation" with Abuja, now that Henry Okah, leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), has been released from detention.
The Federal Government welcomed the relief that came after two straight days of mayhem in Lagos and deeper in the South, where the MEND hit oil facilities which led to a cut in production of 24,000 barrels per day (pbd) by Agip.
"Effective, 0000 hours on Wednesday July 15, 2009 (the MEND) will be observing a temporary ceasefire for a 60-day period", its Spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, announced in a statement that also listed the conditions.
That means hostilities will on ice till September 15. The government,s own amnesty offer is on the table till October 4.
The MEND first declared ceasefire in 2007 when President Umaru Yar,Adua assume office, but resumed attacks in 2008 when Okah was detained and put on trial on treason charges.
And on Wednesday, Defence Minister, Godwin Abbe, insisted that the MEND cannot dictate to the government when to withdraw troops from the region, one of the caveats.
He spoke at the Villa in Abuja, where he assured that government is open to negotiations and dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure the return of peace to the Niger Delta.
"These are good signs. We expect that following the ceasefire, all aggrieved Nigerians in the Niger Delta will embrace the offer of amnesty in good faith and totally. The government is willing to talk with anybody and relate to anybody that can bring peace into this country", Abbe said.
Gbomo explained that ,,several factors necessitated our decision; chiefly the release of (Okah) from government custody.
"During this period (of ceasefire), the Aaron team of wise men and women will put heads together after consultations with relevant stakeholders. They will speak on our behalf and convey our demands to the government.
"A compulsory prelude to talks is the withdrawal of the military Joint Task Forces (JTF) from the Gbaramatu communities and the return of all the displaced persons back to their various homes.
"Hopefully, the ceasefire period will create an enabling environment for progressive dialogue."
The JTF, searching for militants and out to rescue hostages, began in May a military assault on Gbaramatu in Delta State, comprising 163 communities, villages, and hamlets.
On the withdrawal of the JTF, Abbe countered that the MEND "cannot give conditions to the government. It can't. We are not rejecting (the condition) either. I have not rejected it, but the MEND cannot give conditions to the government (which) was not invited in the first instance to (go to Gbaramatu)."
He said Abuja will make decisions as to the deployment of troops "when the conditions become ripe enough, and when law and order is comfortably established".
When asked if government would dialogue with Rochas Okorocha, whom the MEND has appointed as its mediator, Abbe said: "If he declares himself a militant, yes, we will start dealing with him."
Amnesty Panel Spokeswoman, Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, also welcomed the ceasefire, recalling that "we have made it clear to (the militants) that (Yar'Adua) is honest and can be trusted, and that the government is ready to dialogue with anybody on the need for peace and development."
Presidential Niger Delta Adviser, Timi Alaibe, said although the ceasefire is a temporary relief, it is a most welcome development, and "it is our sincere belief that at the end of 60 days, the process of ending tension in the Niger Delta region would have been achieved with the cooperation of all the stakeholders."
Later on Wednesday, the MEND threatened to call off the truce following information that the JTF had dispatched seven gun boats with heavily armed troops from Warri and are heading to "one of our camps located around the Delta/Ondo State border".
It warned that "if this information from a very reliable source within the JTF happens to be true, the ceasefire will be called off with immediate effect."
But JTF Spokesman, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, explained that there is no troop deployment, as the military is "implementing faithfull", the amnesty.
Inspector General Police, Mike Okiro, reiterated to militants who surrendered in Port Harcourt that the amnesty is "unconditional and voluntary" as the government "will not force you to respond to (it). If the amnesty period expires, it means you don,t want it. So what you see is what you get, and what you get is what you deserve.
"Take Henry Okah,s case, which had been the main issue among militants. The government has laid that to rest by releasing him. This is very vivid example of government,s sincerity; what else can government do to show its commitment?"
Up North, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Chairman, Ibrahim Haruna, warned that Nigeria cannot allow the Niger Delta to escalate into another civil war.
Haruna explained that he spoke in his personal capacity and not for the ACF, which would issue a statement after a meeting to appraise the situation.
"We hope the political step the Federal Government has taken in granting amnesty, creating the Niger Delta Ministry, the NDDC, is what patriotic Nigerians should encourage.
"We expect that those who believe that their goals can be achieved by using violence, should know that more could be achieved by peaceful conduct. We can only do that when we look at the larger picture", he added.
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