His Royal Majesty, Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, has called for urgent structural reforms and stronger international accountability to address insecurity, corruption, and environmental degradation in the Niger Delta.
The monarch made the appeal while receiving the United Kingdom’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Jill Lever, during a courtesy visit to the council’s secretariat in Bayelsa State.
King Dakolo noted that although youth-focused programmes and anti-drug initiatives are important, they cannot substitute for deeper structural solutions to issues of the region.
He stressed that sustainable peace in the region depends on addressing the underlying drivers of instability, including the proliferation of arms, drug trafficking, regulatory lapses, and weak accountability systems.
He also questioned prevailing narratives about crude oil theft, arguing that such illicit activities operate within complex international financial and maritime networks.
According to him, stolen crude oil ultimately finds its way into global markets, making international financial scrutiny and cooperation critical to tackling the problem.
The monarch urged international partners to raise governance concerns during diplomatic engagements and support initiatives that promote transparency and curb illicit financial flows.
He further expressed concern over several abandoned development projects linked to interventionist agencies, questioning the transparency and enforcement mechanisms surrounding them.
According to King Dakolo, Nigeria’s primary challenge is not the absence of resources, but weaknesses in governance, ethics, and institutional responsibility.
In her response, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Jill Lever, said her visit was part of efforts to strengthen subnational engagement under the UK–Nigeria Strategic Partnership.
She described the monarch’s remarks as insightful and reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to continued dialogue on governance, transparency, and security cooperation.
Mrs. Lever also reiterated the United Kingdom’s commitment to sustained diplomatic engagement in addressing the longstanding challenges of the Niger Delta.
Others present at the meeting included Senior Governance Adviser, Dr. Matthew Ayibakuro; Senior Political Adviser, Dr. Fortune Alfred; Programme Manager, Anne Ebinum; and Security Liaison, Tope Aroso.
About Author
