Presidential Amnesty Programme Divides Ex- Militant Groups

Ex-freedom fighters, in the Niger Delta region, are squabbling over the Presidential Amnesty programme by the Federal Government to repentantmilitants, just as some say the programmewas a waste and the country was running a huge budget in funding it.

While some section of the ex-militants have vowed to fight with allresources at their disposal, to resist any attempt by the in-coming Federal Government to scrap the Presidential Amnesty programme, othersclaimed the programme had only benefitted a selected few and should bescrapped.

Mr. EyiriEmami, an ex- warlord, protested against the continuation ofthe programme and called on the president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, toscrap the programme on claims that it was not beneficial to the

Niger Delta region.

The ex-militants, who stated this under the auspices of Leadership, Peace & Cultural Development Initiative, led by its president, Pastor

Reuben Wilson, also called on all the beneficiaries of the programme to be on red alert for any eventuality.

They warned Buhari and the APC to ignore calls by mischievous people, who tend to misinform the in-coming Buhari administration by creating conflictin the region.

Wilson explained that Emami is an ethnic warlord, who is trying to encourage trouble, and is not even an ex-freedom fighter. Accordingto him, he was not among those who surrendered their arms to thegovernment in the interest of peace.

He further stated that Emami’s call was based on his pathologicalhatred for the Ijaw people and his misconceived idea that they were themajor beneficiaries of the amnesty programme, based on their population, and participation in the agitation of the emancipation of the region.

“Mr. Emami’s hatred for the Ijaw ethnic nationality has beclouded hissense of reasoning and led him to make this unholy, catastrophic and ill-advised call to scrap the amnesty programme.”

Reuben Wilson stressed that the only panacea to sustain the currentstability and peace in the Niger Delta was the continuation of theamnesty programme, but called on its beneficiaries toprepare themselves, in defence of the Niger Delta people, from furtherdeprivation and marginalisation in whatever form.