4 YRS WITHHELD AMNESTY CASH: BONNY OKOLOMA IKPANGI DEMANDS PRESIDENTIAL PROBE OF KUKU, AKINAKA

By Anderson Hart

Founder and leader of the once dreaded defunct ex militant group in Bonny, Okoloma Ikpangi that held sway in Bonny local government area of Rivers state, General Orinaemi Hart has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to as a matter of national interest and accountability order an inquest into what he described as monumental conspiracy and fraud concerning withheld amnesty funds belonging to over 400 ex militants from Bonny local government area of Rivers state since 2012 to date.

He is also calling for a thorough investigation of the Special adviser to the President on Amnesty, Kingsley Kuku, the Rivers state representative of the Amnesty Programme, Richard Akinaka and their cohorts for their involvement in the withholding money legally released by the federal government through the amnesty office to settle repentant Okoloma Ikpangi militant group members.

Speaking to newsmen, Hart said “ Okoloma Ikpangi submitted their weapons to the Joint Military Task Force in Port Harcourt on October 30th 2010 and since then Kuku, Akinaka and their collaborators have refused to pay our group, not minding that we were legitimately absorbed into the second phase of the amnesty programme. Similarly since 2012 money earmarked for repentant Militant leaders like me was dramatically stopped and has not been paid for four years now” he said.

Hear him: “I have made several publications against Kingsley Kuku and his cohorts based on this conspiracy over my groups 400 slots fraudulently diverted. In my last publication a member of the amnesty team Larry Pepple made responses against my petition to Mr. President, but I never took his misrepresented responses seriously because I was wondering how someone that was not present when the deal for the second phase of the amnesty programme was brokered can suddenly make insinuations he knows nothing about”, he averred..

Continuing he said, “when president Jonathan thought it expedient to introduce the second phase of the amnesty programme ,Timi Alaibe was the one at the helm of affairs of the amnesty office, with Kingsley Kuku and Richard Akinaka representing their various areas. It was when Timi Alaibe left that Kingsley Kuku assumed his office and that was when the rot and problem started as. Kuku and the Rivers state amnesty Representative, Richard Akinaka conspired to swindle the Bonny ex militant group Okoloma Ikpangi of their share of the money.

The first time I got a stark proof of their fraudulent tendencies I called Kingsley kuku and angrily complained but he pleaded and asked to see me in person where he pleaded and promised to fix the problem. During the meeting I enquired to know who are the people conspiring to deny Okoloma Ikpangi her 400 slots.

He claimed it was some of the frontline generals in Rivers state, but when I made my findings I found out the names he mentioned had nothing to do with the money meant for my group, rather he and his cohorts like Richard Akinaka had fraudulently conspired to deny my group of their legitimate money while claiming in their register that we had collected it. What they do is to use fake names to appropriate to themselves money legally made for about 400 Okololma Ikpangi boys who had laid their arms.

He further expressed angst that Kingsley Kuku since 2012 even went ahead to stop a certain payment for 100 persons paid through him to his boys, according to him, Kuku instead of paying him the said money as statutorily mandated decided to start paying the money directly to some of his boys and in the process tried to incite them against me and create disharmony in my camp.

The Okoloma Ikpangi leader explained that he met with Kingsley Kuku on several occasions, travelling from Port Harcourt to Abuja to see how the alleged plot against his group can be settled, However he said as usual he was always served with doses of excuses and promises that turns out to nothing.

General Orinaemi disclosed that frustrated but determined to get to the root of the matter, he proceed to the courts to seek justice in a competent court of law. That according to him was like touching a lion in its tail. “Immediately the amnesty office got served by the court, the Rivers representative of the Amnesty programme, Richard Akinaka called me and passed a threat to my life saying he will deal with me, he threatened to spill his last blood and to ensure he spent anything possible to trail me and kill me for daring to take them to court.

“Funny enough Akinaka never knew I had the conversation threat recorded on my phone which I have since transferred to CD and would subsequently published on YouTube, on air and all over the social media for Bonny, Rivers state and the entire Nigeria people to know their plans towards my life, to know the rot and how they have institutionalize corruption and impunity in the amnesty office” he said.

The Bonny ex militant leader said Kingsley Kuku told him in one of the occasion that President Jonathan is not doing anything concerning the amnesty program, that he was the one using his personal money to settle some of the backlogs.

“I am concerned over the continuous withholding of funds meant for the Okoloma ikpangi group because my group takes care of over 40 children and families left behind by some departed late freedom fighters of the Okoloma Ikpangi group. Some of the cash if judiciously paid would have been used to take care of such families who are presently in dear need of care to pay children school fees, feed among others. They are trying to make me look like a liar because the widows of some of these fallen heroes are constantly on my neck for their expected stipend and this growing conspiracy by Kuku and Akinaka among others is stifling a whole lot of things.

“When I went to court, in one of the sessions the judge had advised Kingsley Kuku's lawyer and the amnesty committee to meet with my lawyer and settle out of court. According to the judge the evidence documented with facts and figures in front of him are monumental and capable of taking anyone behind bar for a longer period..

All attempt to reach the Special Adviser to the president on Amnesty, Kingsley Kuku and the Rivers state Amnesty programme representative proved abortive as both refuse to comment on the grievous accusation.