Ex Militants Protest, Accuse Ondo Govt Of Conducting Fake Amnesty Programme

…Threaten To Resume Hostilities In The Creek Of Niger Delta If…….

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

Some ex-militants under the aegis of United Sea-Wolf Avengers, Niger Delta Militant Vanguard, the Awaja Camp, Dragon Camp and the Lion Camp, staged a protest on Thursday in Akure, Ondo state capital to kick against the shady deals noticed in the Amnesty Programme initiated by the Ondo state government.

The protesting ex militants have begun their protest since Wednesday night at the premises of the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) in Oba Ile area of Akure,the state capital.

The protesters also prevented the staffs and disallowed vehicular movement into the commission as they set up bonfire and placed fetish item at the front gate.

While on Friday, some workers who reported for duties were stranded as the militants barred them from accessing their office.

They carried placards with an inscription bearing, “Nigeria and Ondo State Government Are Playing Upon Our Intelligence’’: “Ondo State Politicians Have Hijacked Amnesty Slots”.

Others included: “We Are Regretting Laying Down Our Arms and Ammunition’’ and “All The Generals Say No To The Amnesty Slot’’.

They accused the State Government of conducting a ‘fake’ Amnesty Programme and deceived them of laying down their arms with promises unfulfilled to also incorporates them into the programme.

The ex-militants described the Amnesty programme organized by the Ondo state government between November 9 and November 21 as a sham and also accused the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi of allotting slots to his friends, allies and political family.

Many of them alleged that instead of using the Amnesty program to achieve peace in the riverine area, Mr. Ajayi was was using the exercise to build structure for his senatorial ambition.

The ex militants maintained that the State Deputy Governor has politicized the exercise by giving more people from the non riverine areas such as Irele and Okitipupa into the Amnesty programme.

On the 9th of November 2017, the Ondo State Government and the Presidential Amnesty Committee enrolled some ex-militants in the state who submitted their arms and ammunition willing.

It would be recalled that the state government had given the ex militants a 21-day ultimatum to submit the arms to the State Amnesty Committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi.

While addressing journalists, the Leader of the ex-agitators, General Deji Ehinmowo, said some politicians in the state have hijacked the Amnesty Programme and allotting the slots to their friends and supporters.

Ehinmowo said that the group had given prior notice to the Directorate of State Service and Nigeria Navy in Ilaje Local Government about the hijack of the slots by politicians.

He said that the military was supposed to determine those to be enrolled, not politicians who allocating the slots to their cronies.

His words, “We don’t believe in politicians, all what we believe is that they should incorporate us because we have already submitted our guns.

“We were told that 2,000 militants held in Ondo State will be incorporated with the over one million militants incorporated in the 2009 Amnesty Proclamation by the Federal Government.

“But we are surprised about the attitude of political leaders in the state Amnesty Board who manipulated the issues by not recognising the real militants that submitted their guns for amnesty.

“Due to the speech of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, we all know he is not in support of what the amnesty board committee is doing.

“We also know that APC, at the federal level is fighting corruption, but we don’t know why Ondo State amnesty committee is manipulating and jeopardising our amnesty slots.

“It is unfortunate that Ondo State amnesty committee has hijacked the programme by given out slots to their political members without considering the real militants that submitted their weapon to government”.

While reacting, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi said the protesting militants are jobless youths and disgruntled elements

Olowolabi explained that the number of those (ex militants) captured during the biometric exercise were 4000 but the number of forms from Abuja was 1000.

He added that the leaders from various camps were invited and harmonised the forms within themselves and distributed the forms.

Meanwhile, the protesting ex-militants have issued a three day ultimatum to  all the oil companies operating in the costal community the state to vacate over the failure of the government to meet up their demands in Amnesty Programme.

General Akinfemi Raymond, Secretary of United Seawolf Avengers who addressed journalists accused policemen drafted from the Ondo State Police Command to ensure tight security of shooting atsome of the protesting militants.

“We have come to Akure to demand for our rights having notified all the security agencies in the state about our mission because the state government is not even ready to dialogue with us.

“Despite our obedience to vacate our protest venueby the state commissioner of police, suddenly, some armed mobile policemen just came and released gun which wounded four of our members while another three members were affected by teargas.

“Government has declared war on us and we will face them forcefully except all our members are duly captured and all our arrears are paid from November till date”, he said.

He also alleged that some of the slots given to militants group in the state were given to some politicians family members and friends.

“Now we are giving the state government three days ultimatum to meet up all our demands or else the horse rider gives a knock,the evil dance will never end.

“And we are  also saying the oil companies in the areas should vacate or else all the pipeline and installations will be blown up” Raymond added.

According to him, the affected militant groups have used all peaceful means to show their grievances but the state government has turned the deaf ear.