TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Niger Delta militants to give “Nigeria a chance”.

But he reiterated his determination to keep Nigeria as one, as the nation’s unity is non-negotiable.

He said this at the presidential villa when he received a delegation of Abuja residents led by Bello Muhammad, federal capital territory (FCT) ‎minister, who came to pay homage to him.

The president said this against the background of recent attacks on oil installations by militants in the Niger Delta.

“On security we have made a lot of improvement… On Boko Haram militants there is improvement. We are now concentrating on the militants to know how many of them in terms of groupings, leadership and plead with them to try and give Nigeria a chance,” he said.

“I assure them of the saying by Gen Gowon that to keep Nigeria is a task that must be done. In those days, we never thought of oil, all we were concerned of is one Nigeria. So, please pass this to the militants that one Nigeria is not negotiable and they had better accept. Nigerian constitution is clear as to what they should get and I assure them there will be justice.”

He also spoke on his war against corruption, urging those in possession of the country’s stolen assets to return them.

“Please tell those with plenty of money which does not belong to them‎ to try and negotiate to return it in peace, so that both they and us will be in peace, otherwise we will continue to look for it,” Buhari said.

In his remarks, Yemi Osinbajo, vice-president, said that the past one year had been tough because of the mess left behind by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

But he promised that the current administration would work to make things better.

“We have had a year that many in our country will say has been a tough one, and the reasons are very obvious‎,” Osinbajo said.

“We have had many clean up to do, so much of trying to clear the major problems that were left behind by the past administration in particular, the financial mess that we inherited.

“We thank God that things are looking up and that thing will be better. There is no question at all that we have been elected and God has helped us to be here at a time like this to be able to do the things that are necessary ‎to place our country on a strong footing and by the grace we will do so.”