We Had No Meeting With Kachikwu – N/Delta Avengers

By Sylvester Idowu Warri

Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) said on Friday that it had no representative in last Wednesday night’s meeting between the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, and stakeholders in Asaba as part of efforts to end renewed militancy in the region.

The militants, in a tweet, said that anybody that claimed to have represented,NDA in the meeting must be a “political jobber.”

The militant group was reacting to an online report that its members were present in the meeting.

It described as false the report that it participated in the closed-door meeting with the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, last Wednesday night in Asaba, Delta State.

The Minister had met with critical stakeholders in the meeting attended by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, members of the Advcocacy Committee set up by the state government and prominent leaders from Gbaramatu in Warri South West Local Government area of the state where most of the attacks on oil pipelines were carried out.

Among those at the meeting were Chief Boro Opudu, Commissioner Mofe Pirah, who is in charge of Oil and Gas and Mr. David Tonwe, a senior aide to the governor on security.

Others at the meeting were Chief Godspower Gbenekama, Chief Daniel Ekpebide, who represented Gbaramatu kingdom. Chief Ayiri Emami representative of Itsekiri ethnic group, while Chief Michael Johnny, an Okerenkoko leader.

The meeting, THISDAY gathered discussed the bombings and other related issues in the area, and as tension rose, the minister said he came to listen and know the way out.

In all, the stakeholders agreed on the need for peace to reign and the militants to stop bombing pipelines.