Thursday 25 August 2016

Buhari, Alaafin of Oyo meet over Avengers, B’Haram

– The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, has had a discussion with President Buhari bordering on the militancy in the Niger Delta and insurgency in the north

 – Oba Lamidi Adeyemi says Buhari requested traditional rulers to convey their advice on problems facing the country in writing

 – The topmost monarch says the country is losing resources to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers.


Oba Lamidi Adeyemi describes the visit of the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, to Nigeria as a major diplomatic point recorded by the present administration.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, has had a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja over the security situation facing the country.

The Nation reports that the topmost monarch told journalist at the end of the meeting on Monday, August 25, that his discussions with the president bordered on problems facing the country, including the militancy in the Niger Delta and insurgency in the north. Oba Lamidi Adeyemi said President Buhari requested traditional rulers to convey their advice on problems in the country in writing.

 He said: “As a Nigerian and one of the topmost traditional rulers in the country, over the time, I sent a memorandum to the President which he acknowledged and he asked me to come and endorse those things I have written.


The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, said had the militants who tried to invade Lagos successfully spread their activities to the south west, there would have been more destruction.
“I think it is time for me to use the proper channel to reach the President for suggestions and advice. Where he deserves commendation, I should also do that.

“Especially as it concerns the multi-dimensional problems Nigeria is facing; the Avengers and the bombing of oil installations, MEND and Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.
 “One major diplomatic point the President scored recently was the visit of the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry. America does not usually send top officers for such visits if they have not used certain parameters to gauge the country’s performance. 

“I have met with the President and offered some suggestions. We are losing huge resources to the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers. Coming close to that is the infiltration of the militants in Lagos and Ikorodu where in the last three weeks, 10 landlords were massacred.

” The monarch said the federal government responded immediately to wipe out the threat, Ikorodu and Arepo areas, adding that had the militants successfully spread their activities to the south west, there would have been more destruction.

 He said: “The President listened attentively and he has asked me to pass the information to other traditional rulers in my domain to assist the government by giving advice because he is a good listener but that such advice should be put in writing so that he can then relate it to the problems affecting Nigeria

.” Meanwhile, Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has challenged to fast-track his government’s action on the Niger Delta militants, Channels TV reports. Soyinka asked the president to be more proactive in dealing with the problems of the oil-rich region. 

While speaking at a press conference in Lagos he said that Buhari’s government is not doing enough in handling “the tension in the Niger Delta region”. He called on the federal government, like other major players in Nigeria and the region, to change its administration’s style and move quickly to deal with the issues of the Niger Delta.

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