‘Rivers Amnesty Policy, Not Failure’

The Coordinator, Rivers State Amnesty Programme, Mr Ken Chindah, says the state amnesty programme was a success and not the cause of the renewed violence in the state.
Chindah, who made the assertion in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, yesterday, dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the programme was a failure.
The state chapter of the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) recently blamed the renewed violence in some parts of the state on the failure of the state amnesty programme.
Chindah said that the Nyesom Wike-led government did well by removing arms from private hands and granting them state pardon.
He said that the programme was still in progress, and assured that the government was poised to ensure effective implementation.
“In many parts of the state, people have called us to commend the government for undertaking the amnesty programme.
“Residents of the state are happy that peace has returned following the amnesty offer, it is worrisome why people will describe it as a failure,’’ he said.
He urged youth in the state to support the law enforcement agencies to ensure the enthronement of lasting peace in the state.