Why We Granted Cultists, Criminals Amnesty – RSG

The Rivers State Government has said its amnesty programme was not intended to give cash reward to repentant criminals and cultists in the state rather it is intended to provide a responsible rehabilitation for them.

The State Commissioner of Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George made this clarification while speaking at the Police stakeholders eminent forum organised by the State Police Command at the Police Office mess, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The Information Commissioner said the explanation has become imperative following the mixed reactions and interpretations that have greeted the police since it was announced by the state government.

Tam-George opined that the state government was not interested in retributive justice, rather those who have decided to embrace peace and lay down their arms will be rehabilitated and accommodated in the amnesty scheme.

According to him, the modalities of the amnesty will only be revealed when the boys are ready to lay down their arms, adding that the intention of the government was to give the repentant criminals a responsible rehabilitation.

“The State government has its economic empowerment programmes through the N2 billion CBN Micro business scheme, we have already empowered 35,000 Micro business owners across the state.

“We will work with the security agencies in the state security cannot be achieved without the collaboration of all. The neighbourhood should collaborate with police in information gathering”, he stated.

The state Information helmsman opined that the state was not by any means in secure more than other state in the country, adding that the insecurity of the state was a mere media propaganda by the fifth columnist.

He disclosed that the state government has more strategies to work with the police in crime fighting, adding that crime cannot disappear just in a day.

The state information boss used the opportunity to thank the State Commissioner of Police for the initiative as well as the stakeholders that attended the occasion for supporting the government to crime and criminality.