Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has ruled out the hiring of foreign conflict resolution experts as an option towards arresting the worrisome security situation in the Niger-Delta.
Uduaghan, who stated this yesterday during his maiden press conference at the Government House Annexe in Warri, said state governments within the Niger-Delta were determined to deal with the region�s security challenge internally.
He said last Monday�s meeting in Abuja between President Umaru Yar�Adua and governors of the six Niger-Delta states prompted the press conference, saying the president was very passionate about an early resolution of the security crisis.
He said he had to address the press barely a week after assuming office, to dispel rumours and speculation that the Federal Government was considering hiring foreign security experts on the country�s most strategic economic region.
Yar�Adua directed governors of states that are worst hit by the youth restiveness, militancy and abduction, to put heads together to arrest the situation, which has been constituting serious security and economic problems for Nigeria.
�We�ll take adequate measures to deal with the situation in Niger-Delta, to ensure citizen’s security of lives and property and provide the desired conducive environment for local and foreign investment,� Uduaghan said.
The governor, who declined questions on whether Yar�Adua was well disposed to an early release of Asari Dokubo, said the �governors were sincere and committed to ensuring security in the Niger-Delta.�
Uduaghan said security remains one of the important prongs of his tripod programme for transforming Delta State, saying a �comprehensive programme has been designed to meaningfully engage different categories of unemployed Delta youth,” to deal with the security situation.