Militant groups agree to dialogue with FG

Three militant groups in the Niger Delta region have agreed to dialogue with the Federal Government.

The militant groups are: the Reformed Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta, Egbesu Red Water Lions and Egbesu Mightier Fraternity.

Some militant groups, including the above named, had earlier refused to hold talks with the government.

Vanguard reports that the Reformed Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta, while explaining the reason for joining the dialogue, said “A fortnight ago, we responded to this subject matter wherein we stated emphatically that the Niger Delta Dialogue and Contact Group had no mandate to negotiate on our behalf in respect of the renewed hostilities against oil and gas facilities.

“We wish to state that the leadership of the Reformed Egbesu Boys of the Niger Delta, including the Egbesu Red Water Lions and the Egbesu Mightier Fraternity have been duly consulted and our mandate secured for the negotiation by the Diette- Spiff- led committee."

Adding that “Our decision to accede to the pleas of well-meaning citizens and interest groups to yield to dialogue should not be misconstrued to mean we are intimidated by the military threat to launch Operation Crocodile Tears. We make bold to invite the military to launch the said operation, which they have concluded all logistic arrangements.

“However, we have it on good authority within the military establishment that the service chiefs of the Armed Forces are averse to dialogue, so as to launch a full-scale military operation to justify the utilization of the defense budget earmarked for the Niger Delta.”

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has called on the Federal Government to release the Okah brothers, Charles and Henry.

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