Adeola Yusuf

22 July 2009
Lagos — The United States (U.S) eventually broke its long silence on the Nigeria's effort to restore peace in the Niger Delta throwing its weight behind the Nigerian's government amnesty offer to militants.

Nigeria's manner for oil management has been in the centre stage of the new diplomatic stance between it and the U.S and analysts expressed the belief that this was not unconnected to the U.S President Obama's choice of Ghana over Nigeria during his recent visit to Africa.

The U.S declared supports for the amnesty maintaining that not for this; the Joint Task Force (JTF) cannot avert the sabotage which militants are inflicting on the country's economy.

Stating these through its agency, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), the U.S called for joint efforts of stakeholders to support the move to broker peace in the oil-rich deep Southern part of the Nigeria.

"The militants cannot defeat the JTF militarily," Adrew Blum of the institute said in a journal, entitled: 'Foreign Policy In Focus' noting that "but the JTF cannot prevent the militants from engaging in economic sabotage."

President Umaru Yar, Adua has on Monday reaffirmed in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that the amnesty offered militants is not a ruse but a gambit to ensure peace and development in the Deep South advising criminals disguising as militants to have a change of heart.

"To those who genuinely took up arms to draw attention to the sad situation in this region, I say to you: we have heard you and we are ready to work with you to move the Niger Delta forward in the interest of its long-suffering people," the President emphasised.

He acknowledged that the Niger Delta problem is enormous, but pledged that targets would be met with commitment, because the region's development is very high on the agenda of this administration.

"The Federal Government will ensure that all statutory allocations due the NDDC (Niger Delta Development Commission) and the Niger Delta Ministry are paid to ensure development and enduring peace in the region."

Yar,Adua and his entourage arrived Yenagoa at about 1.50 p.m. en route Port Harcourt Airport , and headed straight to the reception.

Yar,Adua granted the amnesty to militants on June 25, ,,predicated on (their) willingness and readiness to give up all illegal arms in their possession (and) completely renounce militancy in all its ramifications unconditionally.,,
A momentum was added on July 13 with the release of Henry Okah, leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), after his detention for two years on treason charges.

On July 15, the insurgents announced a temporary ceasefire for 60 days to allow for a peaceful negotiation with Abuja , now that Okah has been set free.

That means hostilities will be on ice till September 15. The government's own amnesty offer is on the table till October 4.

The Federal Government welcomed the relief that came after two straight days of mayhem in Lagos , where the MEND set Atlas Cove ablaze and deeper in the South, where it destroyed oil facilities which led to another cut in production of 24,000 barrels per day (pbd), this time by Agip.
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