We Will Deal With Niger Delta Militants, Buhari Assures Shell Group

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday in Abuja assured oil companies operating

in the Niger Delta that the Federal Government is taking all necessary

actions to protect strategic assets in the region from vandals and

criminals. Speaking at a meeting with the Global Director (Upstream) of the Royal

Dutch Shell Group, Mr. Andrew Brown, President Buhari said that he has

directed the Chief of Naval Staff to reorganise and strengthen the

military Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta to deal effectively

with the resurgence of militancy and the sabotage of oil installations.

The President told Mr. Brown that the operations of the JTF were also

being enhanced with increased support and cooperation from the United

States and Europe in the areas of training, intelligence, equipment and

logistics. “We have to be very serious with the situation in the Niger Delta because

it threatens the national economy. I assure you that everything possible

will be done to protect personnel and oil assets in the region,” President

Buhari said. The President urged aggrieved persons, militants and communities in the

Niger Delta to drop their confrontational stance and work with those who

have been charged by the Federal Government to review the Amnesty

Programme initiated by the Yar’Adua Administration for the benefit of all

parties. President Buhari praised the resilience and staying power of Shell in

Nigeria despite the operational challenges of the environment .

He urged the company to do its best to end gas-flaring in the Niger Delta

quickly and produce more gas for electricity generation to support

manufacturing and job creation in the country. Mr. Brown had appealed for an urgent solution to rising crime and

militancy in the Niger Delta. The Shell Executive also dispelled speculations that the company was

pulling out of Nigeria. He said that contrary to such speculations, Shell was currently in

discussions with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on

new joint oil and gas projects. The post We Will Deal With Niger Delta Militants, Buhari Assures Shell Group appeared first on Pointblank News .