The Federal Government on Tuesday took a cursory look at the crisis in the Niger Delta region of the country and said it portends grave danger to Nigeria’s democracy. It has, therefore, called for military assistance from its former colonial masters, Britain to arrest the situation.
Government has also taken its campaign to Britain over its aspiration to secure the African slot for the proposed reformed Security Council seat of the United Nations (UN) even as Britain promised to explore the possibility of resuscitating the declining military cooperation between the two countries.
Minister of State for Defence, Chief Demola Seriki, who made the appeal when he received the Director, Policy and Plans (International) Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom, Mrs. Teresa Jones ,in his office at the Ship House in Abuja, said if nothing is done to curb the current security situation in the Niger Delta, it may lead to an internal crisis in the country that would end up in the devaluation of the naira.
He said the situation has gotten so bad that it has affected oil production drastically from about two million barrels per day to just about 800 barrel per day and called for a concerted action to stem the tide of violence saying, “this is a great loss of income that may create internal crisis in the country if care is not taken because the investment in that region is huge.”
According to him, “one of the greatest problem that is really threatening this administration is the issue of Niger-Delta. It is unfortunate to announce to you that today, we are operating at 800 barrels per day when we ought to be operating at about two million and that is a loss of income which may lead to internal crisis in the country if care is not taken.
“It can also lead to the devaluation of the naira in a very flagrant abusive manner. So, I will implore the United Kingdom Ministry Of Defence to partner with us so that we can prevail on this ordeal together. Quite a number of people have been victims of this unspeakable violence but we need to extinguish this problems and it is high time for us to ensure it is averted through efforts of the civil populace and international support because your investment in that region cannot be measured.”
The minister while noting that the two countries have shared a long period of history spanning about 100 years and have partnered effectively in the areas of defence and diplomacy said, “the Ministry of Defence considers MoD, UK a partner in progress but we have our challenges in human resources capacity development of which the US has been very forthcoming. We would very much like the UK to either have your instructors to be here or our officers down there under your sponsorship. That way, we will know that the relationships between us are mutually beneficial. “So I implore the MoD, UK to partner with us, be with us through thick and thin for us to be able to surmount.”
Earlier in her address, Teresa Jones, who has been working with the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, had told the minister that her visit was to access the level of defence relationships between Britain and Nigeria and said the MoD UK was positive abo