Yar'Adua Reaches Out To Niger Deltans in Diaspora

President Yar'Adua of Nigeria

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has dispatched delegations around the globe to identify various leaders of the Niger Delta, and to seek their cooperation in the renewed effort at finding a lasting solution to the perennial problems in the oil-rich region.

The rapprochement comes as the President moved the search for peace in the Niger Delta to the global arena when he solicited for the support of the United Nations in enthroning peace in the region at the G-8 Summit, which ended in Heiligendamm, Germany yesterday.

But in London, the British Foreign Office has asked its nationals in the country to quit three oil producing states of Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta.

President Yar'Adua told the Italian President, Romano Prodi, during bilateral talks at the G-8 Summit that it was important to identify the correct people to deal with, so that all the stakeholders can be carried along in this important task of finding peace for this strategic part of the country.

The President restated his electoral promise that he is prepared to do all within his power to restore peace to the Niger Delta.

Yar Adua had during the meeting briefed the Italian Prime Minister about his determination to effect reform of the electoral laws, as part of the efforts to ensure the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria.

He also said the economic reforms, which had begun to yield fruits, would be sustained for the benefit of the country.

Mr. Prodi said he was "comfortable" with the situation in Nigeria, and would support all efforts of the new government, especially in bilateral and regional cooperation.

Yar'Adua has also sought for the assistance of the United Nations in efforts at find a lasting solution to the intractable crises in the Niger Delta and his determination to effect far reaching electoral reforms in the country.

The President made this request while receiving the United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon who paid him a courtesy call in Berlin, Germany.

Yar'Adua while expressing gratitude to Moon for appointing Professor Ibrahim Gambari and General Martin Luther Agwai into key UN positions, said Nigeria was committed more than ever before to providing leadership in Africa.

The President acknowledged the concerns of foreign observers at the last general elections. He, however, noted that these flaws needed to be corrected because, according to him, it is important for Nigeria to be able to conduct elections that would meet international standard.

"The April elections had flaws and shortcomings but it is significant that for the first time in our history, we had a civilian-to-civilian transfer of power. But our resolve is to be able to conduct elections that meet international standard. That is important for the sustenance of our democracy.

"Currently, all the aggrieved parties are in court and once that process is fully exhausted, we will begin the reform efforts in that critical area. We will need the assistance of the UN in that respect, as well as in tackling the Niger Delta crisis," he said.

He restated his administration's commitment to resolving the Niger Delta crises, noting that it is a strategic objective of his government to enthrone peace and security not only in the troubled region, but the country as a whole.

To this end, the President said, "We are currently discussing with all the stakeholders with a view to coming up with a document, which we would give the National Assembly so that everyone can buy into it."

He said that the envisaged intervention is similar to the "Marshall Plan for the development of then Western Europe after the Second World War," and urged the international community to "support our efforts in that direction."

On climate change, a thorny issue at the G8 Summit, the President said his government is fully prepared to back the activities of the UN though "Africa contributes nothing to global warming yet we will suffer the consequences."

Earlier in his remark, Moon, who congratulated Yar'Adua on his election, said the UN was grateful to Nigeria for realising "such a distinguished officer as General Agwai to head the Darfur Mission."

He urged Yar'Adua to work with other African nations to help resolve the problem in Darfur by prevailing on the Sudanese President to take more reconciliatory measures.

He said the same pressure should be exerted on the Somali President so as to end the bloodshed and help attain sustainable peace in that country.

The UN Secretary General urged Africa to take more interest in climate change because the continent will be the tragic victims.

"We have the resources to tackle the problem. We have the technology. What is lacking is the political will," he said.

He pledged the UN support for Africa in the bid to rid the continent of poverty and underdevelopment.

Meanwhile, the British Foreign Office has asked its nationals working in the country to leave three states in the Niger Delta region following spates of kidnappings and violence allegedly targeted at expatriate workers.

The no-go-area states, according to agency report are Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta States where most of the facilities of Shell Petroleum Development Company are cited.

Quoting the website of the British Foreign Office, the news agency said part of the statement reads, "We therefore advise British nationals to leave. If you stay, you do so at your own risk."

Mr. Precious Okolobo, Head of Media at Shell confirmed that the oil company had received the advice that British nationals should leave the three states in the Niger Delta because of growing security concerns.

He said that Shell will support all of its expatriates wishing to leave the region in line with the directive.

He, however, said this is no indication that SPDC is not shutting its operations in the Niger Delta nor is it planning to leave the region.

The latest measure was said to have been further fuelled by alleged failure of moves to free some of the Niger Delta leaders currently in detention and undergoing different stages of trial.

Militant groups have since the swearing-in of President Yar'Adua, been pledging to lay down their arms to work for peace but have always put the unconditional freedom of the detained leaders as a prerequisite for continued peace.

First, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) announced 30-day cessation of hostilities.

Within the week, another group, the Niger Delta Peoples Vigilante Group headed by Tom Ateke, the controller of the Okrika axis of the Niger Delta also announced a 90-day ceasefire but demanded for the freedom of all Niger Delta leaders currently in incarceration.

Statistics put the number of foreigners kidnapped for ransom since the beginning of this year at nearly 200, which is said to include about 31 Britons.

On Thursday, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), the clearing house of the militants issued a statement saying it they would only free the four Schlumberger workers held hostage this month if their leaders were released, insisting that they would not negotiate monetary terms this time around.