Ex-militants Decry Non-enlistment into Amnesty Programme

By Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Some former warlords in the Niger Delta Wednesday decried the unending tussle to get them enlisted in the federal government-backed amnesty programme initiated by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

The aggrieved youths from Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States told journalists in Yenagoa that they had also written a protest letter to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo after the amnesty office flouted several agreements with them.

They argued that 18 of their members embraced the programme under the third phase in 2012 and have since then not benefitted from the funds.

Leaders of the group include Asenekiri Oyinle, Angiama-Owei Oyindoubra, John Government, Henry Gomoromo, John Sawyer, Trydi Okpeke, Dollar Motor, Selebi Ayowei, Bobra Angese and Ekerebi Umber.

They thereafter approached the Federal High Court in suit number FHC/YNG/CS/102/2013, but the amnesty office has refused to make any representations or embrace the out of court settlement option, the ex-militants said.

Details later…