Former President Goodluck Jonathan has disclosed how he risked his life by entering a militant camp in the Niger Delta without armed security escorts to negotiate peace, describing the move as a defining moment in efforts to stabilize Nigeria’s oil-producing region.

Speaking as the chairman at the De Mangrove Conversation event—organized alongside the Bayelsa State Government, the Niger Delta Development Commission, and other regional stakeholders—Jonathan reflected on his personal ties to the region, from witnessing early oil exploration as a child in Bayelsa State to conducting environmental research as a scientist.

He recalled that during his tenure as Vice President, he was tasked with negotiating peace across various militant outposts, including the heavily fortified “Camp One.” Despite warnings and objections from top security officials, including the Delta State Commissioner of Police and the State Director of the State Security Service, Jonathan insisted on visiting the camp without armed forces.

To build trust, Jonathan ordered his Chief Security Officer and Aide-de-Camp to hand over their firearms to security chiefs before heading into the waterfront area in Warri. Upon arrival, he walked between two lines of armed young men holding various rifles to conduct a negotiation that lasted about an hour and a half.

Jonathan emphasized that this risky encounter laid the foundation for mutual trust, directly leading to the birth of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme and restoring stability to the region. He reiterated that the ongoing development and environmental restoration of the Niger Delta must remain a top national priority.