Buhari Didn’t Sign A Padded Budget – Presidency

The Presidency through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ismail Kawu, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari did not sign a padded budget.

This was disclosed after an over three-hour meeting with the APC leadership, insisting that the budget signed by the President was not a padded budget.

The SSA said: “I am here on the invitation of the leadership of the APC with my colleague to bring answers to issues raised by the party on the 2016 Appropriation and we have been with the party for a little over three hours. We have given explanations to them on every issue and told them that there was nothing, to our knowledge, like padding of the budget.

“The budget as assented to by Mr. President is the budget as passed by the National Assembly and that is the budget being executed.

“But as of now, the party is handling it as a domestic issue, and all of us are enjoined not to make public comment on the details because the matter is still under consideration.

“So, that is what we will want to say for now, we will not want to go into the details of it so that we will not breach the ethics of the party, the directives of the party or pre-empt anything or any outcome of the party investigation.”

He added that “we came here as persons who works as liaison officers on the budget because the party had questions for us and we came to make clarifications on the issues raised.

“We have made those clarifications and would not want to draw any conclusion. Please let us not go too far by mentioning any office. Let it be that the two of us appeared before the party.

“In all our years of legislative engagement, we are yet to find in the legislative lexicon the word ‘padding’. When the budget is presented before the legislature, the legislature is to consider the budget and pass as they deem fit.

“So what the legislature pass becomes the appropriation upon accent. Therefore, any word which is yet to crystallize in legislative lexicon, you cannot hear us mention it.”

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Nigeria Needs Change Agents – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in his tribute to the deceased pioneer Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Maj.-Gen. Timothy Ogundeko, said Nigeria is in dire need of people who will render selfless service that could change the tide of the country for good.

Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, made the remark describing the deceased as a pacesetter in strategic leadership training.

According to the statement, “The President affirms that with his tireless efforts and foresight, Gen. Ogundeko transformed the Nigerian Army Education Corps for the benefit of the Service and the nation; and his legendary role in the establishment of Command Secondary Schools is well appreciated.

“President Buhari trusts that the vision of the deceased for a united and prosperous Nigeria will be honoured by all who mourn him, particularly at this critical point when the nation is in need of selfless citizens to change Nigeria for the better.

“The President extends heartfelt condolences to Gen. Ogundeko’s family, as well as the government and people of Ogun State.

“He prays that God will grant the soul of the departed eternal rest and comfort his family, friends and admirers.”

Nobody Blocked Jibrin From Seeing Buhari, He Didn’t Follow Protocol – Presidency

The Presidency has dismissed insinuation by Abdulmumin Jibrin, the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, saying he was “blocked” from seeing President Muhammadu Buhari over his budget padding allegations against some principal officers of the lower legislative chambers.

Recall that Jibrin had in a statement on Sunday alleged that two governors and three former members of the House were “blocking” him from meeting the President to state his own side of the story.

Abdulrahman Kawu-Sumaila, Senior Special Assistant to the President and former Deputy Minority leader of the House of Representatives is said to be one of those Jibrin had alleged to have impeded his effort to see the President.

But reacting to the report, the SSA said as a lawmaker, Jibrin should know the “protocol” on how to see the President.

According to Kawu-Sumaila, the former Appropriation Chairman had never approached him to facilitate a meeting with the President.

He said, “The way he has been going about this issue is unfortunate. He is dragging the names of innocent people into it.

“He has not approached me that he wants to see the President. If he makes a request, I will facilitate it for him. He knows the protocol.”

On his role in facilitating Buhari’s meeting with Dogara, Kawu-Sumaila said, “When the Speaker wanted to see Mr. President, he told me.

“I did my part to facilitate it. I was waiting at the office while they met. I was not at the meeting with them.

“It was after the meeting ended and the Speaker came out that I saw him off.

“The same thing would have happened if Jibrin requested to see the President.”

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BREAKING: Buhari Relaunches War Against Indiscipline Brigade

The Federal Government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari today relaunched the War Against Indiscipline, WAI Brigade, in Abuja, saying in this era of insecurity, violence, kidnapping, and other forms of social vices, the role of the Brigade in civil intelligence gathering cannot be over emphasized.

Announcing the development on the occasion of the National and State Commanders meeting of the Community Support Brigade, CSB, also known as WAI, the Director-General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Dr. Garba Abari said the President Buhari administration has declared the intention to relaunch the Brigade for better performance, as well as to bring its activities to the fore.

Details later...

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I won’t Resign As Speaker – Dogara

Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, on Friday, speaking with State House Correspondent shortly after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, insisted that he would not resign from his position.

The Speaker described the current budget padding levelled against him as an offence, affirming that despite the many allegations against him and his office, he will remain in his position.

Recall that a member of the House, Jibrin had accused Dogara, his deputy, Yusuf Lasun; Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado Danguwa and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor of attempting to illegally insert over N40bn into the 2016 budget.

Since his initial allegation against the Speaker and other principal officers of the House, the lawmaker had continued to level more allegations on them.

Presidency Denies Favouring North, Muslims In Appointments

The Presidency on Monday through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said President Muhammadu Buhari has treated all Nigerians without bias for ethnicity or religion in his appointments and policies since he assumed office on May 29, 2015.

The special assistant in a statement while reacting to the London Telegraph’s article “Children Face Death by Starvation in Northern Nigeria” published on Saturday, said claims that the present administration was targeting Christians and members of the opposition were without foundation.

Shehu said the article repeated a claim from an earlier piece “Nigeria Using UK Aid to Persecute President’s Political Foes” published on April 12, indicating that Nigeria was diverting United Kingdom’s aid monies away from defeating the Islamist terror group Boko Haram towards those the newspaper identifies as political opponents of the administration.

He said, “As for claims that the administration is targeting Christians and the opposition, these are without foundation.

“Since assuming office, President Buhari has treated all Nigerians without bias for ethnicity or religion – as the composition of his cabinet and the policies and programmes of his administration demonstrate.

“To suggest his government as deepening Muslim-Christian division is not only untrue, but plays into the hands of Boko Haram who wish to divide Nigerians along religious lines.

“Fighting this group is key priority of President Buhari’s administration. Indeed the international community has widely acknowledged his determination to defeat terrorism in Nigeria and the entire Lake Chad Basin.

“There is nothing to gain by attempting to mould public opinion against these facts. Therefore we invite The Telegraph to visit Nigeria: to witness first hand not only the challenges we face, but the administration’s determination to confront them.”

Explaining that the UK government does not give development aid to the Nigerian government for operations against Boko Haram, Shehu noted that while the claims in both articles were attributed to an unnamed source in the United States and “Western officials”, yet the first article drew the condemnation of the US Embassy in Abuja as having drawn conclusions directly opposite to the position of the US government when it was first published.

He added, “To state the facts: the UK government does not give development aid to the Nigerian administration for use in military operations against Boko Haram. Where British military support – such as intelligence – is provided, it is precisely and only, given for operations directly against Boko Haram.

“Similarly, the Nigerian Government is in no position to divert aid monies used for emergency relief for refugees or IDP camps for any other purpose, as these are dispensed directly by DFID, USAID, the United Nations, the International Red Cross, Doctors without Borders and many other organisations – with which we enjoy excellent relations.

“The humanitarian situation in these camps is real. The administration remains deeply concerned about the medical, health and nutrition challenges and we are doing everything with the limited resources we have at our disposal to improve the situation.”

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Atiku Speaks On ‘new Party’, Alleged Plan To Contest Presidency With Mimiko

Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, in a statement, signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, has dismissed reports alleging that he has formed a new political platform on which he will run for president in 2019, with the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, as his running mate.

Ibe noted that: “The report was an incompetent product of fiction, so shallow and vacuous that even its authors could not validate its credibility with reliable and verifiable sources.

“Some people of bad faith trying tooth and nail to spread the seeds of discord in the party, and destroy the much needed unity, harmony and cohesion, which are the pillars of strength for every political organisation.”

Ibe said despite all the smear campaigns and reputation lynching and sponsored falsehoods, Atiku’s loyalty to President Buhari and the APC leadership would not be shaken an inch.

“Atiku Abubakar would ordinarily have ignored the malicious report, but says he chose to react, lest his silence would be mistaken as an admission of the falsehoods published against him”, he added.

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SHOWDOWN: Buhari, You Can Purchase Drones In Europe, US. It Won’t Stop Us – Niger Delta Avengers

The Niger Delta Avengers have accused President Muhammadu Buhari of planning to acquire drones to fight them, adding that he was not sincere with his peace offer.

"Mr. President, you can purchase all the drones in Europe and United States. It won’t stop the Niger Delta Avengers from bringing the country’s economy to zero," the NDA said in a statement.

"The worse you can do is to kill poor innocent people which the military is good at, but know the Nigerian economy will suffer," it said.

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Photos: Buhari Commissions $1.457bn Abuja-Kaduna Rail

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday finally commissioned the $1.457bn Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge rail project started by the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Present at the ceremony were Senate President Bukola Saraki; Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, among many other aides of President Buhari, as well as chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

See photos below:

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BREAKING: Buhari, APC Governors Meeting At Presidential Villa

Report has it that President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, state governors are currently in a meeting inside the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

It was said that the meeting, which started at about 2 pm, also has the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in attendance.

More details later…

Ailing Economy: We’ve Learnt Our Lesson In A Hard Way – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari while receiving a Special Envoy from the President of Islamic Republic of Iran, Mohammad Javad Zarif, at the State House, has stated that Nigeria has learnt the hard way on how to diversify its economy.

Buhari said government was working hard to live up to the challenges faced by the Nigerian economy within a short period.

He said, “The progress made by Iran within a short period of 30 years is really commendable. Within the period, you have been able to harness gas flaring, and you are now exporting. You have recorded strides in security, manufacturing, agriculture and technology.

“You have also achieved a lot in nuclear research. I must also congratulate you for successfully negotiating with America and the European countries on the development of your nuclear energy.

“In Nigeria, we are learning. We are learning the hard way through hardship, and we are learning very quickly on how to explore other sectors of the economy like gas, solid minerals and agriculture for growth.

“We are grateful for your support and cooperation in opening up the Nigerian economy for diversification,’’ he said.
In his remark, the Iranian envoy who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs, said the Iranian government would support the ongoing restructuring of the Nigerian economy.

“We are very keen to see a better and stronger relationship with Nigeria, which is the largest country in Africa and a major global player,’’ he said.

Buhari Orders NNPC To Find Oil In North East

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered deeper exploration of some hitherto neglected areas in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria according to the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru.

Baru said that the corporation is stepping up measures to ensure a successful operation in the ongoing search for crude oil in the Chad Basin and other parts of the Inland Sedimentary Basin.

The NNPC Chief made this disclosure while receiving the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, who was on a courtesy visit to the NNPC Towers, Abuja.

“You know that very close home, we have exploration activities on the frontier basin in the Chad and some areas close to the Kolmani river where Shell had made some indicative discovery of hydrocarbons and Mr. President has directed me to go into that area to reprove and further explore the magnitude and prospectivity of those finds,” spokesperson for the NNPC, Garba Deen Muhammed quoted Mr. Baru as saying.

“We are taking steps to re-strategize and get into those regions. We will re-invigorate the frontier exploration and see how they collaborate with NNPC that is holding Block A09 where some of the finds have been made and also Department for Petroleum Resources, DPR, for the other blocks that have not been assigned.”

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Buhari Scraps Film Village Plan After Muslim Clerics Kick Over Immorality

The President Muhammadu Buhari might have cancelled plans to build a massive film village in Kano State, following social media outcry and opposition from Muslim clerics, reports BBC.

The President had budgeted more than N3billion ($10m; £7.6m) for the project as part of the government's efforts to improve the Hausa language film industry known as Kannywood.

The government believed that the film village would create thousands of job opportunities and promote cultural activities.

But Muslims clerics argued it would promote immorality and people on social media also called on the government to stop the plan.

An aide to President Buhari told local media that the president has listened to the people's concerns.

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Buhari, Obasanjo In Closed-door Meeting At Presidential Villa

President Muhammadu Buhari and former President, Olusegun Obasanjo are currently meeting behind closed doors according to reports.

The former President who arrived the Presidential villa, Abuja at about 12.54pm was driven to the forecourt of the President’s office in a black Sports Utility Vehicle marked ABJ 425 PY.

Obasanjo who was decked in blue Agbada was accompanied by one of his daughters.

Details shortly…

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Buhari To IBB, Gusau : Tell Nigerians Why You Removed Me From Office

President Muhammadu Buhari, thirty one years after his administration was toppled in a military coup, has finally opened up on why he was overthrown.

Buhari said in an exclusive interview granted The Interview, that he was removed from office because he was planning to purge the military hierarchy of corruption.

In an exclusive interview published in the current edition of The Interview magazine, Buhari challenged Babangida and Gusau to tell the truth on why they carried out the coup against him.

“I learnt,” he said, “that Aliyu Gusau, who was in charge of intelligence, took import licence from the ministry of commerce which was in charge of supplies and gave it to Alhaji Mai Deribe.

"It was worth N100,000, a lot of money at that time. I confronted them and took the case to the Army council in a memo...I wanted Gusau punished."

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Mr. President Is About The Economy Not Corruption

I felt a bit miffed at the president’s Eid-el-fitr message not because it lacked compassion or empathy but because it lacked a departure from his strongly held minimalist view of our daily reality. In all sincerity, I have made a solemn promise not to throw empty criticism at Mr. President and only lend my voice to matters in which common sense is clearly shrugged away to accommodate political vacuity.

The message read thus: “I am not unaware of what Nigerians are going through and I want to use this medium to commend the amazing sacrifices of Nigerians in the face of temporary economic and social challenges and also reassure Nigerians that my government is working assiduously towards providing basic needs and other amenities. Let me also use this opportunity to reaffirm that we will not relent in the fight against corruption and we will ensure that all appropriate and legal measures are deployed to root out this malaise”.

Perhaps the words of O Henry, Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man is starving, underpins the very premise of my argument. Again, Nigerians are being congratulated for their sacrifices in difficult times, what needs to be asked though, is if such burdens will climax with better days. In any case, as for me and my house, we will remain skeptics until proven otherwise by the government of the day. Of more concern, however, is the fixation of Mr. President on the fight against corruption. Without a doubt, corruption is a must kill but I also share the concern of Hon. Yakubu Dogara, that convictions have hardly been made even in the sight of overwhelming evidence of the culprits admittance and willingness to return stolen funds.

Neither the president nor his towering integrity can prosecute any war against corruption; he has no choice than to rely on the institutions saddled with such statutory obligation. The best the president can do is to empower such institutions and let the chain off the neck of the proverbial dog. It is not enough to make public declarations that merely romanticises the populace and whips sentiments but rather a case of putting your money where your mouth is. The president will be guilty of living in the clouds if he thinks that he can champion a successful fight against corruption without a reform of the Police Force, the judiciary and a healthy working relationship with the legislature to pass into law the propositions of the executive.

Hence, a continuous focus on a fight technically outside the arena of the president will be simply straining at a gnat and ignoring a whole camel, a typical case of Nero fiddling while Rome burns. Someone needs to remind Mr. President that it’s about the economy, about job creation and an improved livelihood, nothing else at this junction matters. I quite agree with Olatunji Ololade in his Friday’s column in The Nation newspaper, when he said “Buhari seeks to eradicate diseased plants from the nation’s fields of enterprise even as he sows sickly seeds under the roof of the Nigerian barn house”.

One of the greatest economists of the 18th and 19th century, John Maynard Keynes argues that in a recession of significant magnitude, it is necessary for the government to intervene and actively stimulate the economy. He was famous for recommending that the government should pay people to dig holes in the ground and fill them up because it doesn’t matter what they do as long as the government is creating jobs.

Quite frankly I understand the president’s fascination, if not obsession with corruption and never will I doubt his sincere passion for a nation he fought and bled for but he must come to terms with the fact that strong nations are not built on the integrity of an individual, even if that individual is the president, but on a continuous investment in the people in whom the government derives its authority from.

I therefore urge the president to maintain his stance on corruption but give a closer attention to the economy. Mr. President also needs to remember that economic deprivation, stagnation or exclusion will ultimately lead to social and political catastrophe, the very demon he is fighting very hard to expel.
Mr. Ayodele Adio, a social critic, wrote from Lagos. 

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Plot To Overthrow Buhari: DSS Arrests Alleged Mastermind

The Department of State Security Service, DSS, in a statement by Tony Opuiyo, unveiled the Niger Delta militant, who allegedly threatened to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari and bomb key public institutions, including Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The service gave the name of the suspect as Jones ABIRI, aka General Akotebe DARIKORO, who is the leader of the Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), he was arrested in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The agency said DARIKORO, “who operates under the pseudo name of General-Kill and Bury”, had confessed to some criminal activities committed by the NDLF,” including the vandalism of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) trunk line in Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw LGA and bombing of oil pipeline belonging to Shell Development Company (SPDC) at Brass creek on 8th July, 2016, all in Bayelsa State”.

“ Similarly, on 21st July 2016, one Stephen MAMAYEBO, aka OSCAR, a suspected militant was arrested at OMPADEC Primary School in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. MAMAYEBO was arrested in connection with the kidnap of an expatriate staff of Setraco Construction Company and subsequent murder of two (2) soldiers, namely Garba UMAR/Sgt and Bashir KABIRU/Pte, along Ogbia-Nembe road on 5th April, 2016,” the DSS added.

“ Furthermore, on 20th July, 2016, at Travelers Mosque, along Kaduna-Zaria Highway in Igabi LGA of Kaduna State, the trio of Ismaila SHUAIBU, Kabiru NASIRU and Inusa ABDULLAHI were arrested during a tactical raid by this Service.

“The trio were members of a notorious kidnap gang which has been terrorizing innocent citizens along the Abuja-Kaduna highway, and other environs within Kaduna State.

“On 22nd July, 2016, about 1730 hours, at Total Petrol Station, along Aba road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, one Chukwunyere Austin OKWAA was apprehended by the Service. OKWAA has been issuing death threats against the former Acting-Managing Director, NDDC, Ibim SEMENITARI (f).

“ In continuation of its fight against terrorism, on 21st July, 2016, this Service apprehended one Bulama Mohammed RAMAT aka Muhammad Bashir MUHAMMADU at Jabi Motor Park, in Utako, Abuja.

“ Prior to his arrest, MUHAMMADU was planning to attack the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs, in collaboration with other elements of an extremist cell of the Boko Haram group.
“On 22nd June, 2016, a raid on suspected criminals/miscreants hide-outs behind Ado Bayero Quarters at Naibawa area of Kumbotso LGA of Kano State, resulted in the recovery of one (1) AK-47 rifle with 28 rounds of live ammunition. Other items recovered during the operation are one (1) Browningmodel pistol with two (2) rounds of live ammunition and a P5 pistol with ten (10) live rounds.

“Also, on 22nd July, 2016, the Service apprehendedone Saidu YAHAYA, during the screening of prospective Hajj pilgrims at the Muslim Pilgrims Board in Jos, Plateau State. YAHAYA has been under the radar of the Service as a black-market and illegal gunrunner who has been supplying arms and ammunitions to criminal and ethnic/religious bigots in Plateau, Taraba, Benue and Nassarawa States.

“ In another development, on 19th July, 2016, one Samson Chijioke NZEGWU was arrested at Obuofia village, in Nkanu-West LGA of Enugu State. NZEGWU is the ring-leader of a criminal-syndicate which has been using cloned/forged paraphernalia of the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Lawrence UGWUANYI, to defraud members of the public. During his arrest, the sum of One Million Naira, three (3) laptops, ten (10) different mobile phones, and other incriminating items were recovered from him.

“ On 17th July, 2016, at Idi-Mango Ore area in Odigbo LGA of Ondo State, one Esan Abiodun CHRISTOPHER aka MAIYEGUN was arrested by this Service. CHRISTOPHER is a member of the Reuben AKINBEHINJE-gang which masterminded the kidnap of two (2) Catholic nuns and their driver in Akure, Ondo State. The suspect was apprehended while coordinating plans to hijack fuel-supply tankers in Oyo State. He is currently under detention with five (5) other members of his criminal gang, with whom he had masterminded the hijack of several fuel tankers in Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Kwara and Kogi States respectively.”

Get Right Hands To Fix Economy, Not Classmates From Katsina – Ezeife Tells Buhari

Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, a former permanent secretary and state governor has warned President Muhammadu Buhari to do away with selfish tendencies in his appointments.

Ezeife warned that Nigeria’s economy was in crisis, “We have to adopt long-term planning on where we want the country to be,” he told Daily Trust in an interview.

“I support the Central Bank of Nigeria as they want naira to float as having two prices for foreign currency.

“This will deter somebody who buys hard currency from the bank and comes out to sell on the black market.

“There is the need for an economic advisory council, they advise economic ministry and the presidency.

“We should avoid ‘dogon turanci’ at seminars, workshops but to develop the country’s agric, industry.”

The elder statesman further urged that, “Buhari should get the right people and not his classmates from Katsina only.” 

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FIFA President, Infantino To Visit Buhari On Monday

Gianni Infantino and Ms Fatma Samba Samoura, the President and Secretary General of the world football governing body, FIFA, are expected in Nigeria this weekend and will be received at the Abuja Airport by NFF president, Amaju Pinnick and members of the NFF board and management.

A welcome cocktail will be organized for Infantino at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel later in the day.

On Monday, he and Ms Samoura, will pay a courtesy call on President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. Some FA presidents from other African countries, are also scheduled to be present.

Infantino will fly back to Switzerland on Monday night, while the Secretary General will leave Nigeria on Tuesday.

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FG In Talks With N-Delta Militants, Buhari Tells German Ambassador

President Muhammadu Buhari has officially confirmed that his administration has opened talks with Niger Delta militants through oil companies and law-enforcement agencies to end attacks on oil installations and stabilize production.

The President, who spoke at a farewell audience with Mr. Michael Zinner, the outgoing Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, at the State House, Abuja, said, “We understand their feelings; we are studying the instruments. We have to secure the environment, otherwise investment will not come. We will do our best for the country,” he said.