EX-MILITANTS LAUD FG FOR MAINTAINING PEACE IN N'DELTA
As the second batch of the ex-militants leave for Calabar, Cross-River State, this week, the Federal Government has been commended for its efforts at restoring peace to the Niger Delta region. Besides, they also lauded government's initiatives at making them more useful to the society.
The ex-militants, under the ageis of Ilaje Dynamic Patriots, who spoke at the inauguration of the new executive members of Riverine Gwama Boys executives said the orientation organized by the Federal Government would equip them mentally to contribute their quota to the development of the country.
The names of the newly constituted executive members of the group include Kasali Olatokunbo, general chairman; Ojubuyi Bournvita, vice chairman; Mafimisebi Folarinde, secretary; Samagbeyi Jigolo, P.R.O; Biobaku John, treasurer; Ogbonnema Nasiri, coordinator and Ayetimiyi Adegbenro, financial secretary.
While urging the Federal Government not to renege on any of the agreements, the group added that the hardship being faced by the people in the oil producing areas should be ameliorated so that there would be no reason for anybody to go back to the creeks again.
'We resorted to armed struggle in the past because of the untold hardship and suffering our people were being subjected to. Having realized that the stupendous amount of money being made through the sale of our oil was being used to enrich some people at the expense of the people from the areas, which bear the brunt of the attendant crisis always associated with oil exploration and exploitation, hence the resort to self-defence as a mechanism to show our grievances,' the group lamented.
They, however, agreed that the ongoing amnesty programme of the Federal Government was a right step in the right direction, even as they commended Governor Olusegun Mimiko for his efforts to ensure that there was permanent peace in the state.
The ex-militants promised to join hands with the state government to build the sunshine state as well as the nation so that militancy would be a thing of the past.