More than 1,500 Niger Delta militants have reportedly expressed their willingness to embrace the Federal Government’s amnesty programme and surrender their arms.
The decision was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the commanders from Arepo, Ikorodu, Abule, Fatorla, Ibafo, Magboro, Epe, Itokin, Ilepete, Okenekene, Agric, Gbokoda camps, Camp 5 and environs.
They said they were ready to surrender their arms as long as the Federal Government is sincere with the matter.
They noted that they were excluded from the first amnesty programme, which they described as not holistic and characterized with fraud and fraudulent selections.
They stressed that all the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) facilities and its subsidiaries must work for the betterment of Nigeria and the economic efficiency in the face of dwindling oil prices.
The statement which was signed by General O.C Babaeere and General America Tekeiminikpoba on behalf of other commanders, reads: “We write to express our desire to surrender our arms and embrace the amnesty program as long as the federal government is sincere.
“With the timely intervention of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, we the Commanders from Arepo Camp, Ikorodu Camp, Abule Camp, Fatorla Camp, Camp 5, Ibafo Camp, Magboro Camp, Epe Camp, Itokin Camp, Ilepete Camp, Okenekene Camp, Agric Camp, Gbokoda Camp and their environs, have made up our minds to accept amnesty because of the peaceful approach of the Minister of State for Petroleum.
“We also agree that all NNPC facilities and its subsidiaries must work for the betterment of Nigeria and the economic efficiency in the face of dwindling oil prices.
“However, our willingness to surrender should not be seen as an act of cowardice, rather, as an act of patriotism.
“Also, as we accept this amnesty, it is important to state that the first amnesty was not holistic and was characterized with fraud and fraudulent selections. We were not included in that amnesty program. Even as we tried all avenues to join the program, we were ignored completely.”
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