‘Don’t Politicise Amnesty Programme’…As Ex-Militants Protest Unpaid Allowances

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike (2nd left), with President of Nigeria Bar Association, Alegeh Augustine (SAN) (2nd right), Acting Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Daisy Okocha ( left) and Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Justice Emmanuel Aguma (SAN), during the Nigeria Bar Association’s NEC meeting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

As the federal government amnesty programme for militants in Niger Delta draws to a close by December this year, Governor Nyesom Wike has lauded the President Buhari-led federal government for not scrapping the scheme.
The governor  spoke when he played host to Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator Amnesty Programme Brig-Gen(Rtd) Paul Boroh in Government House on Thursday in Port Harcourt.
Wike said, “ I will support the programme to achieve its set goals and I will set up an office to liaise to bring about proper coordination as the programme comes to an end.”
He also pledged the state government readiness to ensure that the programme winds down without upheavals.
With Rivers State having about 7,652 beneficiaries in the scheme, Governor Wike emphasized the need for proper coordination and rehabilitation, stressing that the State is key in the economy and strategic in peace of the Niger Delta.
The current peace enjoyed in the region according to Wike was because the federal government established the amnesty programme, as he commended Buhari for sustaining the programme.
Earlier, Brig-Gen(Rtd) Boroh intimated the governor that his visit was part of the final phase of the programme hinting that the scheme will end by December as stipulated at the onset.
On the final phase he declared, ‘the aim is to bring the programme to the people for effective collaboration and security placement. The beneficiaries don’t need to go to Abuja to get complaints addressed.”
Against this backdrop, he stated that new state offices are being established in the region, “ this is for easy command and control for the various agitators” Boroh explained.
So far, he disclosed that about 4,310 have been empowered through various skills and educational programmes to give them capacity to get rehabilitated into the society.
Those who did not complete their training and education by December will be allowed to do so Boroh assured.
About 30,000 he said was captured in the programme which commenced at the final lapse of Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua tenure.
Meanwhile, some ex-militants yesterday embarked on a peaceful protest to media houses in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital over the non-payment of their five months’ Amnesty allowances.
The Ex-Militants, numbering over 30, also called on the Federal Government to look into their plight and ensure the release of their allowances.
Speaking with The Tide during the protest, leader of the group Mr. Fyneface Otokoni disclosed that they were representing about 400 persons assigned to Heritage Bank, Olu Obansanjo branch, who are yet to receive their five months amnesty allowances.
Otokoni said the payment of their allowances ended with the last administration, adding that they are yet to receive any allowance since the inception of the present administration.
According to him, letters have been sent to the Commissioner of Police, Department of State Security (DSS), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but without any positive result.
He said that the group’s investigation in Abuja, with a view to finding out reasons for the delayed payments showed that : “our accounts were frozen. We were asked to return to Port Harcourt and pay one thousand Naira each and fill some forms which we complied with “, he said.
He added that after the forms were filled, they were promised payments the next month, but the situation has remained the same, since then.
The group lamented the hardship they and their families have been facing on account of the unpaid allowances and called on well-meaning Nigerians to help support their course.