Nigeria will have to negotiate with Niger Delta Avengers—the militants hobbling its oil exports

Nigeria's oil production has dropped to a 20-year low due to the militants actions. (AP Photo/George Osodi, File)

To stop a recent spate of attacks on oil facilities, Nigeria will attempt to negotiate with Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group in its oil-rich South. Ibe Kachikwu, the country’s minister of state for petroleum, confirmed president Muhammadu Buhari has “appointed a team” to start off a process of “very intensive dialogue” with the militants.

To facilitate the process of dialogue, Kachikwu says the Nigerian military will “descale the intensity of military intervention in the area within a week or two so that dialogue can take place.” Nigeria’s president Buhari had earlier directed the army to stamp out the group’s activities in line with his administration’s previously stated policy of treating pipeline vandals and saboteurs like “terrorists”. But the government’s overtures to secure a negotiation have not had the desired effect as the group has ruled out talks.