WARRI-A non-violence trainer, Comrade Shedrack Agediga, said the Federal Government and Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) should embrace peace, advising that battles were never won by heavy military artillery but through constructive engagement.

Agediga, engaged to teach nonviolence by the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony (FEHN) and is President of Ogulagha Kingdom Youths, appealed to the Federal Government to take advantage of the extension of MEND’s ceasefire by 30 days to set up a credible team of negotiators to address the root causes of their agitation.

“It is proven that battles are never won by heavy military artillery, but through constructive engagement. Examples of such failures are the cases in Afghanistan and Iraq, ” Agediga said.

He commended MEND “for listening to the voice of reason by extending their ultimatum to end ceasefire of campaign of crippling the economy through attacks on oil concerns”.

“Government must therefore take advantage of the extension of the ceasefire and settle the displaced people of Gbaramatu Kingdom and initiate medical rehabilitation as many people are suffering from hypertension and other ailments. Now that the freedom fighters are willing to accept the amnesty, Government must do everything to be sincere”, he pleaded.