Attempts by hundreds of ex-militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme to block the East-West road in protest against the unpaid three months allowances to beneficiaries was yesterday thwarted by Armed troops attached to the Joint Military Task Force known as Operation Delta Safe (ODS).
The protesters, according to eyewitnesses, had converged at the Bayelsa section of the East-West road as early as 5am on Tuesday but were shocked with the alleged ambush staged by armed soldiers attached to the Joint Military Task Force.
An ex-militant, identified as Bobra Angese, who claimed to have witnessed the aborted procession, said though scores of ex-militants converged at the venue as planned for a peaceful procession against the unpaid three months allowances, the soldiers shocked many of them with an ambush.
“They descended on them and flog them with horse whips.
“When I saw the rowdy scene, I retreated and moved away. But it is not fair that we can not express ourselves under this democracy.
“This is the second time the troops of the Nigerian Army will be doing this to the aggrieved beneficiaries of the Amnesty initiative of the Federal Government,” he said.
Many of the aggrieved ex-militants called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and ensure that the three months allowances owed them are paid,
Contacted on the development, the Acting Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre of ODS, Lt. Cmdr Thomas Otuji denied the report on the alleged armed soldiers’ ambush and flogging with horse whips.
Osuji also denied allegation of sporadic shooting by the troops, saying there was “no single shot fired” during the aborted protest.
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