By Francis Sadhere Warri

Paramount ruler of Siembiri Kingdom in Delta State, HRM Pere Charles Ayemi-Botu, has appealed to President Mohammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, withdraw the heavy military presence in the Niger Delta region.

According to the Ijaw monarch attacking the region with military might at this moment when the militants have announced ceasefire will be counter productive.

The Pere of Siembiri kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State in a statement, likened the action of the federal government to “shooting oneself on the foot or throwing away the baby with the bath water.”

He said, “Sequel to the acceptance of Cease Fire, courtesy of Monarchs and the Leaders of the Niger Delta, ten days ago by the Niger Delta Avengers and other Militant groups, one would have expected President Buhari to announce his dialogue team as he did in early June, 2016 when he declared two weeks ceasefire, preceding his medical trip to the UK.”

The Ijaw monarch wondered why President Buhari, instead of announcing his dialogue team, ordered the mobilisation of troops to the Niger Delta Region under the pretext of military exercise, code named ” Operation Crocodile Smile.”

He stressed that by this action, he is thus sending negative signals to all Nigerians, the International Community and the whole World that the stage is now set to crush the militants at a time they have accepted cease fire.

“We have been making frantic and passionate appeals in conjunction with the United States Consul General, Mr. John Braye  calling on both the Federal Government and the Militants to sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue in other to proffer lasting solutions to the Niger Delta quagmire.

“Both the United States and the European Union have expressed their determination to partner with the Federal Government in this onerous task now that the situation has availed itself.

“I emplore President  Buhari to withdraw the troops he has deployed to the region and follow the path of honour to set the machinery in motion without further delay to commence the dialogue so as to achieve the desired peaceful resolution.

“Wise counselling suffices but if unheeded and the military authorities go ahead to unleash their arsenal on the goose that lays the golden egg and all the strategic and volatile oil installations are affected, invariably the resultant conflagration will certainly overwhelm the entire region nay Nigeria will be in a comatose economically.  It’s like throwing the baby with bath water or shooting himself on the foot!

“Nigerians have been bracing up with the Boko Haram insurgency for the past five years, with it’s dreaded affiliates , ISIS, AL QUEDA, El – Shabab, Islamic Al Magred, suffice to say that it is not yet uhuru and to further compound the crisis proned nature we find ourselves is the senseless and barbaric killings, raping and wanton destruction of farms perpetrated by the Fulani Herdsmen throughout the country; should be a bane of concern that ought to be abated before it engulfs the entire country.

“Finally, it’s pertinent to remind ourselves again that in 2005, the American Diplomat to Nigeria, Mr. John Cambell bemusingly and illfatedly predicted that Nigeria was going to break in 2015 and in the same vein in 2010 , it was late Lybian strong man Col. Muhammad Ghaddafi who opined that Nigeria was two big to remain as one country and should be split into four states i.e  Arewa Republic, Oduduwa Republic,Biafra  Republic  & Ijaw Republic and the then Senate President, Senator David Mark described him as a mad man.

“Nonetheless all these are not prophets of doom but it portends negative signals and our rulers should see the handwriting on the wall, due to the complex and volatile nature of our country that could spark off anytime if not carefully handled.

“I presume former President Jonathan knew and took cognisance of 2015 and never wanted any division in his tenure hence he quickly avoided it by raising the olive branch and I hope Buhari too would follow suit by listening to the voice of wisdom and wise counselling by reputable Nigerians in order not to be hijacked,” the Ijaw monarch stated further.