The NigerDelta Avengers, NDA, Friday, described as false, report that it participated in closed-door meeting with the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, Wednesday, at Asaba, Delta State.
The group in a tweet, Friday, debunked the online report, saying that it did not hold any dialogue with the minister.
It stated that anybody that claimed to have represented it at the meeting was a “political jobber.”
Vanguard learnt that the minister only met with stakeholders from the riverside areas of the state, especially the troubled Gbaramatu Kingdom and other parts of Warri South West local government area.
Among those at the meeting were the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, chairman of the Delta Waterways and Land Security Committee, Chief Boro Opudu, Commissioner Mofe Pirah, who is in charge of Oil and Gas and Mr. David Tonwe, a senior aide to the governor on security.
Others at the meeting were Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Chief Daniel Ekpebide, who represented Gbaramatu kingdom. Chief Ayiri Emami representative of Itsekiri ethnic group, while Chief Michael Johnny, an Okerenkoko leader, who with Emami, had been very vocal against the NDA, were also at the meeting.
The meeting discussed the bombings and other related issues in the area, and as tension rose, the minister said he came to listen and know the way out.
In all, the stakeholders agreed on the need for peace to reign and the militants to stop bombing pipelines.
Because of the observed antagonism among the leaders, the governor was advised to set up a reconciliation committee to amicably settle the differences among them.
The leaders, who attended the meeting declined comments when approached by Saturday Vanguard, but none claimed to have represented Avengers. – Vanguard.
