Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has reassured oil companies of their security anywhere they operated in the country, saying that "this administration is undaunted by recent security problems in the Niger Delta and is taking appropriate action to deal with the situation."

A federal government statement issued here at the weekend quoted Obasanjo as making the remarks in London at separate meetings with executive directors of Shell International and Total Worldwide.

Obasanjo declared that his administration was prepared to do whatever was needed to guarantee the safety of oil resources and facilities in the region. He, however, stressed that solving the problems of the Niger Delta should not be considered the responsibility of the federal government alone.

"The oil companies, states and local governments also have a role to play," he said, adding "We want to deal with the security issue from the roots. Let us all work together on this."

He said the recent crises in the oil-rich Niger Delta, southern Nigeria, were a culmination of years of neglect and under- development, "which the federal government has been taking measures to redress."

Obasanjo told the oil company executives that the Nigerian government was beginning to gain the confidence of militants in the region through dialogue and persuasion.

He told them that incidence of illegal bunkering "and stealing of Nigeria's crude oil has been reduced by about 50 percent through measures by the government."

Source: Xinhua