Niger Delta: FG orders withdrawal of troops from region

The Federal Government reached this decision after the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo met with Governors and military chiefs on Tuesday. June 7, 2016.

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate withdrawal of troops from the troubled Niger Delta region.

President Buhari ordered the deployment of troops to the troubled region, following the destruction of offshore facilities belonging to oil companies, allegedly by the Niger Delta Avengers.

Reports say this the Federal Government reached this decision after the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo met with Governors and military chiefs on Tuesday. June 7, 2016.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the Delta state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa 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”

Adding that “We have taken a lot of decisions which will help us mitigate what is going on currently in the states particularly Bayelsa and Delta.

“One of such is that there is a need for us to share intelligence which is very important and for us to be proactive, working together with the various stakeholders in the states to achieve a better result going forward.”

The Governors who attended the meeting, are those of Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo, Delta, Edo and Abia States.