Abeokuta – The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Paul Arkwright has called on the Federal Government to adopt dialogue approach rather than military force to tackle militancy in the Niger Delta region.
Arkwright made the call while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Abeokuta shortly after he visited Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.
According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari needs to adopt a comprehensive approach to address agitation in the Niger Delta region.
This, Arkwright explained would include dialogue with restive youths and clean-up of communities damaged by oil exploration.
He said that with adequate engagement of stakeholders, various investments and business interests in the affected areas would be secured.
According to him, the British Government is already dialoguing with Nigerian authorities on the way out of the current agitation.
“One thing I have said in the past, and we have spoken to the Nigerian government about this, is that you need to have what we call a comprehensive approach to these issues.
“You need to have dialogue; you need to engage with the communities down there, you need to understand the grievances of the people down there.
“You need to ensure that the environmental damage is cleaned up and you need to protect the investments of not just British companies or international companies, but Nigerian companies as well.’’
He, however, said that government should take firm action against criminal activities where it was noticed.
He stressed that military solution alone was not the way to handle militancy in the Niger Delta just as it was not a solution to Boko Haram terrorists threat in the North East.
He further added that the British Government would continue to encourage dialogue to bring back peace in the region.
On Nigeria’s anti-corruption war, Arkwright said the British Government would do everything possible to return stolen money domiciled in his country to Nigeria.
He said that Buhari had engaged in meaningful discussion with the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron during the recent anti-corruption summit in London.
“The United Kingdom is doing everything that it can to ensure that those funds are returned to Nigeria.
“We have no intention of keeping the monies, we want it to go back to Nigeria.’’ (NAN)
