FG orders Immediate withdrawal of Troops from Niger Delta

Nigeria’s federal government has order an immediate withdrawal of troops from all communities in the Niger Delta region.

The withdrawal of troops was announced after an emergency meeting between Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, some governors from states in the region, ministers and service chiefs, Premium Times reports.

According to Premium  Times, the decision was necessitated by accusations of over-militarization of the region in the wake of renewed violence by new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers.

The government on Tuesday announced it was withdrawing troops immediately while soldiers will continue to patrol the waterways.

Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Monday announced President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on a two-week cessation of military activities in the region as government and major stakeholders go into dialogue.

Ifeanyi Okowa, the Governor of Delta State who addressed journalists after the meeting, said: “We have also agreed that there is a need to distill military operations directly in communities, but the military need to actually remain on our waterways to ensure that we adequately man the waterways itself while we engage the communities and that engagement process is starting any moment from now”.

“We have taken a lot of decisions which will help us mitigate what is going on currently in the region.

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, said the government was ready to address the conflict.

“If we have conflicts, we will talk through those conflicts. There are laws that have to be enforced. I think that in all of these the whole idea is to find peace that is functional, that creates an environment for very decent Nigerians to live their lives,” he said.