Some ex-militants from Bolowou community in Ese-Edo local government area of Ondo State yesterday raised the alarm over nonpayment of their N65,000 monthly Amnesty stipend.
The Affected ex-militants, numbering 25 said they became worried when they were not paid their last month stipend, whereas other beneficiaries of the scheme in the council received alerts on their bank accounts.
They alleged that they were being victimised due their stands to support the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN during the last year November 26, Governorship election in the state.
Ese-Odo has always been a stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but the council was won by APC during the last gubernatorial poll.
The victims are also alleging the former western fringe commander of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), . Bibopere Ajube, alias General Shoot at Sight, as the mastermind of the stoppage of their allowances.
A statement jointly signed by two of the ex-militants, Jamin Wariebi and Lubi Timiakirimni said Ajube was punishing them over their refusal to support the governorship candidate of the PDP, Eyitayo Jegede SAN in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo state.
They therefore threatened to embark on a peaceful protest on Wednesday this week at Bolowou if their allowances remained unpaid before then.
They alleged that Ajube delisted their names at the Amnesty Office, Abuja after meeting with top officers at the office.
The statement reads ”We are worried and constrained to alert the nation that a former MEND commander, Bibopere Ajube, aka General Shoot at Sight has stopped the payment of our N65,000 monthly stipends with the collaborating of the programme’s ccordinator, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd).
“All other beneficiaries of the programme have been paid last week, but to our surprise, ours was not and we were informed by competent sources at the Amnesty Office that Ajube went to coordinator to delist us from the programme and has already replaced us with persons who were not even captured in the programme.
”From all indications, our ordeal is not unconnected with our refusal to support his preferred governorship candidate in the last election in Ondo state, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN.
“Since the election, Ajube has threatened to deal with all those who worked for the APC candidate and now governor, Rotimi Akeredolu”.
