From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
First military governor of Old Rivers State and Amanayanbo of Twon- Brass, King Alfred Papapreye Diete- Spiff has appealed to militants in the Niger Delta to stop the spate of bombings in the Niger Delta region.
He said bombing of oil facilities cannot replace dialogue in resolving the crisis in the Niger Delta region.
Diete- Spiff, who heads the Niger Delta Dialogue Contact Group currently involved in negotiations with members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and the Federal Government, decried recent bombings in the region.
He also pleaded with the militants to give peace a chance.
The militants had recently resumed hostilities and bombed two oil facilities in Delta State after several weeks of ceasefire to allow for dialogue with the federal government.
President Mohammadu Buhari, in his independence day broadcast spoke on militancy in the region and queried the rationale behind bombing of oil facilities.
The president warned that “this administration will not allow these mindless groups to hold the country to ransom.”
Diete- Spiff, speaking in an interview in Yenagoa, yesterday, said while elders and leaders of the region feel the pains of the agitators, bombing of facilities would not resolve the problem.
He said negotiation is going on smoothly and insisted that the government is committed to peace in the region.
“I can tell you that discussions are on-going and we are committed to the dialogue. President Buhari was away but, he is back. So discussions will continue. I want to appeal to militants to stop the bombing. I sympathise with the agitators; they are boiling, they are angry but, I want to appeal to them to stop the bombing. Bombing will not solve the problem. We are confident that we shall achieve the desired peace.”