How I risked my life for peace in Niger Delta – Goodluck Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed how he put his life at risk in his bid to ensure peace in the Niger Delta region.

Jonathan disclosed that he went into a militant camp in the Niger Delta without armed security to negotiate peace, at the risk of his life.

He made the disclosure on Monday while delivering the chairman’s address at the De Mangrove Conversation, organised in collaboration with the Bayelsa State Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Renaissance Africa Energy and the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation at the NCDMB Conference Hall in Yenagoa.

Jonathan said his experience as a scientist, governor, vice president and president gave him a unique perspective on the challenges facing the region.

He recalled that as vice president, he personally led negotiations with militants and insisted on visiting one of their camps without armed escorts despite objections from security officials.

According to him, the decision helped build trust and paved the way for dialogue that eventually contributed to the peace process and the implementation of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme.

Jonathan stressed that the development of the Niger Delta must remain a national priority, saying lasting peace in the region depends on addressing environmental degradation and decades of neglect.

“As the vice president, I was to go and negotiate to bring peace to the Niger Delta. And I was to visit all the camps, including Camp One that you all know very well and who headed it, all the boys disturbing all facilities respect those in Camp One.

“As a vice president, I flew to warri, to the water front with my security. When we got to the other front, the Niger Delta militants sent words across to me that they were ready to receive me, but nobody should carry gun and follow me and that if any of my team members carry a weapon, there will be exchange of fire.

“So, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State said ‘Mr Vice President, you will not go.’ The State Director of SSS said ‘Sir, you will not go.’ I told them I will go. There must be peace and development in the Niger Delta.

“As the vice president, I said anybody wearing uniform should not follow me to the militants camp, only my CSO and my ADC followed. I ordered CSO and ADC to handover their guns to the Commissioner of Police and state director of State Security Service respectively to keep. I told them if we come back alive, you get your guns back and we will go back to Abuja.