AMNESTY: FG DECISION WON'T FORCE US BACK TO CREEKS -NDLF

The Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) has declared that the Federal Government's decision on its amnesty programme would not provoke the militant group to violent agitation.

The NDLF, which had been pleading with the Federal Government to consider its members for presidential pardon, had their hope dashed recently when the Coordinator of the programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, foreclosed any consideration. But the NDLF in a statement, said: 'We would not go back out of our non-violent position over Federal Government amnesty stance.'

The group also noted through its spokesman, Mack Anthony that because of the disclosure there had been renewed fears in the Niger Delta region by multinational oil companies. It, however, assured companies in the region and the people that the Federal Government's stance would not force NDLF back into the creeks.

NDLF maintained that the decision to surrender was borne out of humanitarian grounds and the emergence of President Goodluck Jonathan as president.

According to the group, the Federal Government should have a rethink on its decision, as the security implication of having the weapons of NDLF in the hands of local fighters could be disastrous.

It seized the opportunity to caution the Boko Haram sect on killing innocent lives, adding that their agitation should not involve the lives of innocent people.

The statement reads in part: 'There is growing fear on renewed insurgency in the Niger Delta over Federal Government position of not including NDLF dreaded fighters and others into the presidential amnesty deal. The leadership of the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) hereby wants to assure the multinationals and the general public that the current position of government will not lead NDLF fighters to back out of our current non-violent position by going back to bomb oil installations in Niger Delta and create tension in the region.

'On northern bombing, we urge Boko Haram sect to have respect and sanctity for life by sparing innocent lives in the country while agitating for what they feel is legitimate.

NDLF does not kill innocent persons. It is against the principles of our NDLF struggle and yet federal troops were deployed to confront us. We must understand the fact taht NDLF has one of the best high capacity bombs improvised locally detonated through remote control that may pass US bomb lab test. But we have respect for lives; so we did not use them on human environment, hence we cancelled our land operations for the protection of human lives.'

It continued: 'We surrendered for JTF and abandoned our Israel barrack not because we are tired of fighting or are gone out of resources to fight. Our position was on humanitarian basis and the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as president, who we have confidence and faith, will help to address injustice, underdevelopment and poverty which are fore burner issues of our agitation.

'We will still insist and urge government to have a rethink of its position.'