Amnesty programme, a bait against Niger Delta – Ex-militant
A former Niger Delta Militant, Mike Aroko, has warned those, he termed as working at cross purposes with the efforts of the Federal Government to deliver on its promises of better life for the people to hands off so as not push the repentant militants back to the creeks.
“As we take the path of peace, some Nigerians, believing that they’re born to rule, are thwarting the efforts of the government. Such people should be cautioned because if they put us under much pressure, we may be forced to return to the creeks, as was the case in the days of militancy,” he threatened.
Speaking on the federal government’s amnesty programme, Aroko said that the programme was the bait that the Federal Government dangled at the Niger Delta agitators to kill the original purpose of their agitation.
“The reasons for which we went into our agitation have not been addressed and the amnesty programme has not been successful. That is the situation at the moment,” he disclosed.
According to him, the major problem he has with the programme is that the post-amnesty period has not been well coordinated making the supposed beneficiaries to face a bleak future.
“Many of these boys (ex-militants) were selectively sent on training. At the height of the struggle, there were some ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta region, which were not volatile although they supported the agitation mostly with the intellectual bent.
“When the amnesty programme commenced, most of these people were overlooked. Most of those that benefited from the programme were fortunate to be trained, but as we speak now, they’re there in the labour market with no job. That is the reason for the pocket of problems you notice in the region, which we, the leaders, are trying to diffuse.
“As the leader of the Forum for Urhobo Survival and Emancipation, I must confess that my group has not benefited much from the amnesty programme though we welcomed the programme, as we see it as a response to our yearnings.”
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