The Niger Delta region militants have issued a one-week ultimatum to the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal government over their August stipends which were allegedly withheld.
The militants who are under the Presidential Amnesty Programme, spoke on Tuesday, through the leader of the Niger Delta Defence Corps (NDDC), John Egbe.
They also accused the government of withholding the August stipends of over 10,000 beneficiaries without any explanations, saying they had faced similar harsh treatments in recent times.
They, however, threatened to go on a protest if their demands were not met on or before the one-week ultimatum.
“The Amnesty Office has paid our stipends for August and over 10,000 beneficiaries have not been paid for a reason best known to the government. We have experienced various unfair treatments under Dikkio since his assumption of office. We will not take it easy this time around and we want our stipends paid within one week or else we will go out for a protest next week.
“Niger Delta is now a peaceful place but Dikkio and his Special Adviser, Mr Alfred Kemepade, want to disturb the peace because of their secret deals. Since 2010, we’ve never experienced what we’re seeing under Dikkio. Last year, the National Security Adviser set up a committee that verified everything in the Amnesty office, but today Dikkio decided to stop the payment of stipends to some beneficiaries.
“We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the NSA to send Kemepade out of that office before it is too late because he wants to set Niger Delta ablaze with his evil advice to Dikio,” he said.