The British High Commissioner to
Nigeria, His Excellency, Paul Arkwright,
yesterday, in Abeokuta Ogun state capital
cautioned the Federal Government over military
option as a measure to tackle the resurgence of
militancy and other criminality in the Oil – rich
Niger Delta region.
The High British High Commissioner stated this
during an interview in Abeokuta, the Ogun state
capital, shortly after his courtesy visit to the
Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.
Arkwright who arrived the Ake Palace at 11am
was accompanied by political Counsellor, Ben
Llewellyn-Jones, and former Secretary-General
of the Commonwealth, and Dr Emeka Anyaoku,
also advocated for dialogue as part of a
comprehensive approach that should be
adopted by Nigerian government to address the
situation, adding that force alone may not bring
about a lasting solution to the Niger Delta
issue.
Niger Delta Avengers(NDA), an armed militant
group, and other violent youth organisations
have been launching violent attacks on oil and
gas facilities in the Niger Delta area.
This action has forced the Federal Government
to respond by deploying troops to the area’s
creeks to stop the alleged destruction of
national economic assets and spate of
sabotage being perpetrated there by the
region’s restive youths.
While speaking with newsmen, Arkwright said
though, there is the need to protect the
investments, not just the British companies and
international companies operating there, but
also Nigerian companies from acts of
criminality going – on in the region, the military
should tread softly.
He noted that the Britain is already talking to
Nigerian government and its authorities on
need to take a “comprehensive approach” and
not to rely solely on military option as solution
to the Niger Delta militants.
According to him, it is important that the
Nigerian government explore ways to engage
the communities in the area, understand the
grievances of the people and also ensured that
the environmental damage is cleaned up.
He also suggested that same option should be
applied to conclude the fight against Boko
haram terrorists in the North East of the country
as being canvassed ever since by Britain.
“We need to protect the investment there, not
just British companies, international companies
but Nigerian companies as well.
“We are talking to Nigerian authorities about
that, we need to have what we called a
comprehensive approach to this, in other words
we need to have dialogue and we need to
engage the communities down there.
“We need to understand the grievances of the
people down there, we need to ensure the
environmental damage is cleaned up.
“We need to protect the investment there, not
just British companies, international companies
but Nigerian companies as well.
“When there is criminal activity, (it) is right that
the government should take proactive action
against that criminal activity, we strongly
support them but we don’t think military
solution alone is the final solution to handle
issues in Niger Delta.
“And to handle Boko Haram in the North, so we
need comprehensive approach and that is what
we have been talking to the Nigerian
government about.
“I was very encouraged to hear Hon Minister Ike
Chukwu say about the need for dialogue and we
are certainly looking to see what we can do to
help in dialogue and bring peaceful outcome to
what you say is economic threat to this
country.”
While speaking on the looted fund stashed in
British banks, the British High Commissioner
assured that Britain is committed to her
intention to return all looted funds from Nigeria
back to the country.
He said his country would follow the rule of law
and also wait for the judiciary to take a
decision on the matter before the loots could be
re – directed to Nigeria, its “rightful place.”
He said: “President Mohammadu Buhari make
the same point when he was in London for Anti
Corruption summit which my Prime Minister
setup we need international action to fight
corruption.
“We need all the looted funds around the world,
including United Kingdom to return to rightful
place which is Nigeria, United Kingdom is doing
everything we can to ensure that those funds
are return to Nigeria.
“We have no interest, no intention of keeping
the money, we want it to go back to Nigeria,
full stop.The issues is that you will understand
that United Kingdom just like Nigeria, is a
country which respect the rule of law.
“We have independent judicial process, that
judicial process need to run it course and we
are doing what we can to help accelerate the
return of the funds, if there are delays and
issues surrounding that, these are delays
related to judicial process.
” And have nothing to do with political will of
the British government which my Prime
Minister has made it clear and as i have said in
the past Umited Kingdom wishes that the funds
is return as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the Alake and Paramount ruler of
Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo has called for
the resuscitation of the British Council Library in
his domain as part of contribution of the United
Kingdom educational development in the area.
The traditional ruler recalled that the Library
which has been in the town, has contributed
immensely to the reading and learning culture
among the young and the old.
He however, lamented that the extinction of the
library had brought education development
backwards.
He said “We want to request that as you go
back, the British Council Library be restored so
that the young one can learn more about the
world.
The monarch recalled that there had been an
aged long relationship between Egba and the
British, which was dated back to 1843, through
Henry Townsend, “who brought a new Bible in
1904, after the first one got burnt. It was that
period that we “Treaty of Friendship” by Egba
United Government.
Oba Adedotun added “in 1906, the British
facilitated Electricity supply into Egba and it
also included four key areas of monarchical
form of government, education (western),
military and cultural link.
“During the military, we have some friends
including France, British who gave us the
wherewithal and logistic supports to win the
battle in 1830. In education, you allowed us to
produce the first medical doctor and engineer.”
