Ex-militants threaten attack over planned scrapping of amnesty programme

Ex-Millitants under the Presidential Amnesty Program, PAP, Friday vowed to return to the creeks in a renewed campaign against oil and gas facilities if the presidency implements the recommendations of the PAP panel.

The ex-militants made their position known during a press briefing at Ughelli, headquarters of Ughelli North local government area of Delta State adding that the federal government should be ready for the implications of such actions if it goes ahead with the recommendation.

Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the aggrieved ex-militants, self-styled Gen. John Government disclosed that whatever will stop the amnesty program will only succeed when the oil in the Niger Delta region stops flowing.

Gen. Government who was granted amnesty under phase III of the amnesty program hinted that he and other leaders of phase I and II have already deployed “soldiers” in the region awaiting their strike order.

Speaking on behalf of the ex-militants, he said: “The oil we have belong to the Niger Delta people and the amnesty programme has helped to calm our youths. Any attempt to stop the programme is like saying the beneficiaries should go back to the creeks.”

He further berated current governors of the region for not speaking up on behalf of the region, adding that unlike their predecessors who fought had for the region even in the midst of threat and intimidation the current Governors are afraid to speak to power for their people.

He said. “All our governors except Governor Wike of Rivers State who is speaking on behalf of the region, the others have failed our people. The oil they are using to develop the north is from the region, almost all the oil blocks are allocated to the north, which in itself is inciting, and they are planning to stop the meagre benefit to the youth.

“Stopping the Presidential Amnesty Program will trigger youth restiveness in the region and once that happens, the federal government should be ready for the consequences.”  (Saturday Vanguard)