Fg Directs Ex-militants To The Camps, Set To Flag Off Post-amnesty Plan

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CHRIS OZOEMENA, Yenagoa [ureports], May 26 2010 01:18pm In its readiness towards the commencement of post amnesty plan, the Federal Government has directed all ex-militant leaders and their followers to relocate to their camps along the waterways and creeks of the Niger Delta region, warning that a ban has been placed on the possession of firearms, alcoholic drinks and cigarettes at the camps.


The directive, according to the Presidency sources, is coming after a meeting held between the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Matters, Mr. Timi Alaibe and some ex-militant leaders including Mr. Ebebiwakei Victor, popularly known as Boyloaf and Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo.


Commenting on the development, the Leaders of the Bayelsa State Forum of Freedom Fighters, General Reuben Wilson also known as Pastor, said the interaction between the ex-militant leaders and the aide to the President, Mr. Timi Alaibe was reassuring and has convinced them of the sincerity of the Federal Government towards the implementation of the post-amnesty plan.


According to him, ”the aide to the President, Mr. Timi Alaibe spoke well and we have seen that we will not regret accepting the amnesty offered by the Federal Government. Let me confirm to you that by next week, the ex-militant leaders and their boys will go back to their camps and they have also directed that none of the ex-militants should go to the camp with firearms and strong drinks. No cigarette is allowed also.”


“The directives are part of the processes that will kick-start the post-amnesty plan. The ex-militant leaders were convinced that the ban on alcoholic drinks and cigarette in camps is part of the beginning of the process of making the ex-militant youths become civil and absorb a non-violent life. The way they have arranged it is re-assuring. The President has assured us and asked us to work with him to make the contentious issues within the region, a thing of the past.”


On the alleged complicity of some ex-militant leaders in the diversion of allowances of their followers and the protest march staged on the streets of Yenagoa by the aggrieved youths,Commander Reuben Wilson alias Pastor said though investigations conducted by their group have shown that those involved in the protest were hired criminals, the issue of diversion of allowances is being masterminded by some military officers in the state.


Commander Wilson alleged that some 28 militant youths from his camp have not received allowances from December,2009 to date, saying, ”God has revealed a lady to us, and with the combined team of Policemen, she was arrested. The case is with the Commissioner of Police and the lady confessed to the fact that she has been receiving the allowances of one of my boys. She confessed that she forged the name as given to her by one soldier attached to the Sector two command and the soldier also forwarded the name to Enugu for payment into her account.”


“We have discovered that since they started paying the money directly to the Leaders, there was no way they could illegally collect the money. They now came up with a protest march. If the Federal Government decide to pay the money into the boys account, it will fall into the hands of these criminals protesting in connivance with some soldiers.”


The ex-militant leader while commenting on the President Jonathan's ticket in 2011, said there is every need for the president to contest, arguing that it is by divine intervention that the position got to their kinsman. he threathened that if the ticket is denied the president, they would have no other choice than to declare Niger Delta Republic, while all the resources would be entirely theirs.


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