President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday maintained that the Federal Government's offer of amnesty to militants in the Niger Delta "who lay down their arms" was still open.

Yar'Adua told the visiting French Prime Minister, Mr. Francois Fillon at the Presidential Villa, Abuja that the Federal Ministry of Interior was overseeing the implementation of the amnesty plan.

He also restated his administration's commitment to the implementation of the 25-year strategic Master Plan for the Niger Delta but noted that peace and stability were necessary pre-conditions for the realization of the plan.

The President pledged that the Federal Government would do everything possible to restore peace and security in the Niger Delta to make it safe for development and investment by channelling resources to the Niger Delta Ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) for the overall prosperity of the region.

Yar'Adua also affirmed Nigeria's readiness to continue to play peacekeeping roles in Darfur, the Gulf of Guinea and elsewhere on the African continent under the auspices of the African Union Peacekeeping Force "to prevent the breakdown of law and order."

On bilateral relations, the Nigerian leader commended the signing of four agreements between both countries during Mr. Fillon's visit, that would deepen the strategic partnership between Nigeria and France.

He lauded France's support for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and reforms of the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

Fillon, who described Nigeria as "a strategic partner with considerable development potentials," said France was the second largest foreign investor in the country after the United States. He commended Nigeria's peacekeeping roles in Africa and called for Nigeria's representation at the G-8 "to hear Africa's voice."

Vice President Goodluck Jonathan also spoke on the amnesty declared for militants saying it is for those who want to live a normal life.

Jonathan told Fillon that the idea is not to punish anybody but to reintegrate people within the Niger Delta and to help those who want to engage in genuine businesses to start and live a normal life.

Fillon said: "Our partnership is not just economic, we will also like to strengthen on political co-operation. President Sarkozy and Yar'Adua initiated a new dynamic relationship last year, including three strategic partnerships between France and Nigeria.

AS the leaders spoke, the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) were trading words on the 11 soldiers declared by the military as missing in action.

While JTF said MEND was lying in claiming responsibility for the death of soldiers, the militants insisted that they ambushed and killed the soldiers at Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom on Thursday.

The Army said MENDS' statement "is ridiculous and without any iota of truth."_

_JTF spokesman, Col. Rabe Abubakar, who faulted the armed group's claim, urged "the general public not to take such utterances seriously because they are irresponsible."

Abubakar said, "there has been neither ambush nor fighting between our troops and the branded criminals. Therefore, there is no way that soldiers would have been killed."

According to him, the claim is "not true at all. It is entirely false and a propaganda of drowning bandits group."__

The JTF official noted that "the good aspect of that statement (of ambush and killing of 11 soldiers) credited to MEND is that it enlightens Nigerians and others who see no good in JTF's Search and Rescue mission to now think twice and support this fight against enemies of peace in the Niger Delta region."__

He stated that Oporoza, where MEND claimed it killed the soldiers, is controlled by JTF and will remain so. "The whole Gbaramatu Kingdom is our domain since it was freed early this month," he said.

Abubakar, however, expressed regret that "some sections of the media are glorifying the so-called militant groups on the pages of their newspapers. The JTF command is hereby advising such media to have a rethink as its persistence could encourage our youths to take up arms believing militancy is a gold field."

The Task Force also declared the Warri metropolis and the entire Warri South West Local Council of Delta State "peaceful and safe for lawful business."

After conducting journalists around the new cache of arms, ammunition and other equipment allegedly recovered from the militants, Abubakar, who is also the Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), said the JTF would ensure that the peaceful atmosphere being witnessed in the area persists to permit enduring business environment.

He appealed to the indigenes of the crisis-ridden communities and other Nigerians and foreign friends of the nation to note that "we are fighting criminals."

JTF had penultimate Friday launched an offensive against militants in the Chanomi Creek general area.

So far, the 'Search and Rescue' operation, has led to the rescue of 15 hostages, recovery of large quantity of arms and ammunition and the sacking of two militant camps - Camp 5 and the Iroko. __

But MEND insisted yesterday that its fighters ambushed and killed the 11 soldiers declared missing by JTF Commander, Maj-Gen Sarkin-Yarkin Bello.

Its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, said the soldiers were ambushed and killed on Thursday night at Oporoza by a small commando unit, adding that the operation would be a daily occurrence in the entire region.

He said: "The JTF, which insisted after the Wednesday, May 13th, this year confrontation that no soldier was killed except two injured seems to be singing a new tune about officers and men missing in action."

The group promised that the three surviving Filipino hostages would be released and abandoned within the next few days.

Jomo described the comments by a member of the House of Representatives, Mohamed Ibn N'Allah from Kebbi State, that "if 20 million people must be cleared to allow 120 million other Nigerians have peace as unfortunate.

"The comments by a member of the House of Representatives, one Mohamed Ibn N'Allah from Kebbi, a state that does not contribute anything to Nigeria's economy is very unfortunate. He has displayed complete ignorance of the Niger Delta issue and even though he says he was only joking, his remarks suggesting annihilating 20 million Niger Delta women, children and the elderly for their oil has further strengthened our resolve to continue the fight."

MEND also said except for those who wish to be deceived, none of the weapons displayed by the JTF were recovered from its camps. "Our standard issue is the AK47 assault rifle and none was displayed. Instead rusty-Dane guns used by hunters and old machetes and other weapons taken from God knows where were displayed."

Meanwhile, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Peace Sanders, has indicated her country's readiness to encourage peace, education and the general development of the Niger Delta region.

Sanders stated this when she paid a courtesy visit to the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, at Government House, Port Harcourt.

The envoy said she was in the state to assess US government-funded projects in the state, especially in education and other sectors._

Amaechi said the inability of previous governments to implement laws was responsible for the level of criminality in the Niger Delta. He explained that what is happening in the area is economic in nature, considering the poverty rate among the people and the inability of past governments to develop a legitimate economy that would encourage youths to live purposeful lives.__

The Action Congress (AC) yesterday described as infantile and reckless the resolution by the Lower House urging JTF to extend its ongoing offensive in Delta State to Rivers and Bayelsa states.

In a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, AC said the resolution simply shows that the lawmakers do not understand what is expected of them as the true representatives of the people.

``Let's break it down: Democracy is all about the welfare and well being of the people. Therefore, any action that compromises these core issues does not serve the cause of democracy.

``The military offensive in the Niger Delta has put hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians at risk. Voices of reason from within and outside Nigeria have called for restraint on both sides. That is the kind of moderating role the people expect from their representatives, not for them to pour more petrol on the fire!'' AC said.

The party particularly slammed the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, for his failure to guide the proceedings that led to the wrongfully-thought-out resolution with the dignity and soberness expected at such a time that Nigerian citizens are put in harm's way within their own country.

Also the Delta State Caucus in the House yesterday expressed disappointment that the motion, which ought to have brought some sort of ceasefire in the region had instead, extended the military action in the area.

John Halims Agoda, representing Ethiope federal constituency, had in a motion on the floor of the House on Thursday, urged the chamber to prevail on the Executive arm of government to call the parties in the ongoing conflict to embrace peace.

Some members however brought in some amendments to the effect that the military onslaught should be extended to Rivers and Bayelsa States.

After the meeting of the Caucus yesterday in the National Assembly, Agoda expressed sympathy with the people of the region over the shape the motion assumed, noting that the people had been exposed to severe danger since the onslaught began. He reiterated that the only panacea for peace in the region was a genuine dialogue by the parties concerned

He regretted that the motion, due to some amendments brought by some members lost its original intention, noting that such amendments were allowed by the rules of the chamber.