– Pledge to work with the leadership of Presidential Amnesty Programme
The ex-militants’ leaders have challenged each other to end sea piracy and kidnapping in the Niger Delta region in a bid to foster the development of communities in the area.
They also pledged to work with the Amnesty Programme to see to the achievement of its objectives.
This was part of the resolutions at a peace- building meeting with the leadership of the ex-agitators, which culminated in an interactive session with the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd) in Agadagba -Obon,Ondo State at the weekend
One of the prominent ex-agitator in Ondo State, High Chief Bibopiri Ajube, also known as ‘General Shoot-at-Sight’, urged his colleagues to work with the Presidential Amnesty Programme to foster security and development in the Niger Delta.
He said; “We’re ready to work with you sir. My brothers here are telling you that there will be no road blocking henceforth. This leadership is with you, anytime you need us, call Boyloaf, call us. We will call each other and work with you.”
Chief Ajube, while appealing for a restructuring of the Amnesty office, admonished his colleagues to go back and end sea piracy and kidnapping in their various territories, stressing that no government will send contractors to develop the youth and community where there are high levels of insecurity. He also vowed to work with the security agencies to curb sea piracy and kidnapping.
“Why are our people still involved in sea piracy and kidnapping? We are missing something. If you are supporting this evil, which government will come and develop your land? Our agreement henceforth from this meeting; no more sea piracy, no more kidnapping.”
Spokesperson for the delegates from the nine communities in the region and former IYC President, Dr Chris Ekiyor, while thanking the Interim Administrator for taking the initiative to meet the leaders, called for collaboration between Niger Delta related agencies and institutions set up by the Federal Government so that the Amnesty Programme will not be overburdened with issues that these agencies should oversee, such as infrastructure and gainful employment of youths in the region.
He also promised that the delegates will work hand in glove with the Interim Administrator as they anticipate reforms in the Amnesty Programme that will bring the needed momentum towards development.
Col. Dikio thanked the delegates for their commitment to continue to work with the Programme and assured them that their genuine demands would be looked into.
He also reiterated his vision to refocus the Presidential Amnesty Programme to its original mandate of development, security and peace of the Niger Delta region while working with the various governments in the region to make the Niger Delta the most secure place to live and do business in Nigeria.
According to Colonel Dikio, the Programme will work to transform the ex-agitators into entrepreneurs and employable citizens who will become net contributors to the economy of the region through effective collaborations.
It may be recalled that the Presidential Amnesty Programme was in 2009 designed for 30,000 ex-agitators and the Niger Delta communities. The current management of the programme seeks to ensure that its mandate is followed and effectively executed.
