Some elders and traditional rulers from the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State on Friday alleged that some of President Muhammadu Buhari’s aides who hail from the Niger Delta were frustrating the proposed dialogue between the Federal Government and the new militant groups led by the Niger Delta Avengers.
According to the elders, though the decision of President Buhari to lead the proposed dialogue was commendable, his aides’ show of deceit, fraud and discordant tunes had created a huge gulf between the militant youths and the present administration.
The Bayelsa elders, who are members of Bayelsa Elders for Progress, Peace and Good Governance (BEPGG), made the assertions in a statement released by their coordinator, Ayibatonye Good news, and secretary, Lucky Ebifaghe. They claimed that the recent activities of key presidential aides from the region, including Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, and the coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Program, Brigadier General Paul Boroh, were frustrating peace efforts.