FROM JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, ABUJA

BARELY 24 hours former President Goodluck Jona­than returned to the country, President Muhammadu Bu­hari met with him Thursday night behind closed doors over the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta region.

The meeting was at the of­ficial residence of the Presi­dent at the Presidential Villa.

A Presidency source who pleaded anonymity said that the meeting held at about 9pm.

The Niger Delta Aveng­ers have in recent times been bombing oil installations in the region and had an­nounced that its sabotaged has reduced daily production from 2.2 million barrels per day to 900 million.

The Niger Delta Aveng­ers had also issued warn­ing to President Buhari to stay clear from the region, a warning that led to the President aborting his visit to Ogoniland to flag of the cleanup of the environment as recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

According to the Presiden­tial source, “Indeed, the two leaders met. The meeting was a private one. I believe it has to do with the militants’ attacks in the Niger Delta. The former President must have offered useful sugges­tions and assistance on the way out,” .