Time of Release: Immediate

The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding Nigeria joins millions of Nigerians and other Civil Society Organizations to condemn in very strong term, the continued armed violence at the Escravos area of Delta State which has raised humanitarian concerns in the affected communities.

While we appreciate the position and mandate of the Nigerian Military and government to protect the country from external aggression and internal insurrection, we believe that adequate arrangements was not made to prevent or greatly minimise civilian casualties and humanitarian crises.

In the  past two decades, the Niger Delta -region has incrementatlly suffered from destructive violent conflicts that have produced profound human tragedies requiring massive humanitarian and peacekeeping interventions. WANEP is convinced that more than ever before, we must be proactive in developing and implementing conflict prevention mechanisms that transform the root causes of these conflicts rather than ad hoc reactions to the outbreak of violence.

Ultimately, preventing violent conflicts requires addressing underlying issues and conditions that create ground for such violence to fester. In the immediate however, urgent actions are required to minimize mistrust and build confidence towards peace and stability in the oil rich region. 

WANEP Nigeria therefore calls for the following:

·        Immediate ceasefire by both the military and the militant and recourse to constructive dialogue.

·        Adequate arrangements to take care of the displaced community members especially women and children

·        Observance and adherence to international laws and standards in responding to the needs of the Internally Displaced Persons and adequate arrangements towards their reintegration and resettlement.

·        The establishment of an inclusive stakeholders committee to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the resent outbreak of violence as well as implement recommendations from the Ledum Mitee led committee on the Niger Delta crises.

·        The development of a workable Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration mechanism that further supports the planed amnesty being granted to militants by the Federal Government.

Chukwuemeka B Eze                                     Barrister Uche Durueke

National Network Coordinator                    Director, Communication and Publicity