Visibly angry ex-militants, protesting the shabby handling of the post-amnesty programme, stormed the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Center in Warri, Delta State, yesterday, causing pandemonium among the residents and passers-by in the area.
The ex-militants, who came in large numbers, blocked all entrance to the Marine Quarters, where the press center is located, causing road users and residents to scamper to safety, just as motorists make a detour to other routes.
Carrying various placards, they threatened to go back to the creeks as from August 5th, 2010, if their demands were not met by the Federal Government.
The over 200 former warlords and their boys, led by ‘Generals’ Augustine Oges and Kingsley Muturu, among others, invaded the No. 12, Gbiaye Street, temporary abode of the Warri Correspondent Chapel of the NUJ, at about 4.30pm in a violent protest that lasted for close to two hours.
Traffic was held up for several hours in the area as the ex-militants mounted several barricades on the strategic road that leads to Okumagba Avenue and other parts of the Oil City.
The protesters, who gave the Federal Government a 7-day ultimatum, which expires on the 5th of August, 2010, said the federal government must set the machinery in motion to rehabilitate their members or else they would return to the creeks.
They vowed to make the region ungovernable for the various state governors and the Federal Government if their members are not documented and engaged in the ongoing programmes.
Second phase of protest
Mr. Oges and other protesters told journalists that despite the protest they held in Abuja, nothing has changed, and warned that yesterday’s protest at the Press Centre was a follow-up to the one held earlier this month in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
He said President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise that a second phase of documentation would be carried out to take care of them and their members was yet to be fulfilled, and therefore, they could no longer guarantee holding back their foot soldiers.
He denied media reports that they had apologised to the special adviser to the president on amnesty, Timi Alaibe.
“It is not true that we have apologised to Mr. Alaibe. That report is completely untrue because we know that some boys were given money to go back and make that apology. The situation is still as it is and this (Warri Protest) is the next phase of our action,” he said.
“We dropped our arms since October last year, but nothing has happened to us since then. Hence, we stormed Abuja in July 7 to demand for proper documentation of our members who are yet to be documented.
“Time is running out, and we do not want Timi to handle the second phase of the amnesty. The president should allow another competent Nigerian to handle this crucial phase of the amnesty. Timi has paid some boys to come and apologise to him over the protest to Abuja.
“We do not want him again, and we are appealing to the president to beware for him not to rock the boat of his administration. We are giving the president from now till August 5 to address our issue, otherwise, we will go back to the creeks and make this country ungovernable. Enough is enough,” he threatened.