The Presidency has appealed to Niger Delta leaders to exert their influence to stop the economic sabotage and restore normalcy to the restive region.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, made the appeal while featuring on the Express Radio programme.

The militants have continued to destroy oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta region.
Shehu, who cautioned that violence, brings no benefits to anybody, also appealed to the militants to maintain peace in the region as President Muhammadu Buhari seeks a permanent solution to the situation.

“We must keep national interest above all else and give priority to eschewing violence and destruction,” the presidential aide pleaded.

He said it was regrettable that despite the Federal Government’s good faith in pursuing dialogue with the Niger Delta stakeholders, the militant groups had not reciprocated the gesture in finding peaceful and lasting solution to the crisis in the region.