FORMER militants are beginning to doubt the sincerity of the Federal Government over the amnesty which they accepted 30 days ago, as their leaders expressed regret before the Presidential Amnesty Committee led by the Minister of Defence, Major General Godwin Abbe (rtd.), on Tuesday, for accepting the government offer.
Speaking at an interactive meeting between the leaders of the ex-militants and the committee before journalists were sent out of the meeting, one of the leaders, the President of Ijaw Youth Council, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, said they were beginning to wonder why they accepted the amnesty and were having the interactive session with the committee.
He told Abbe, Niger Delta Minister, Chief Ufot Ekaette, and his committee members that they were beginning to ask questions if they had actually taken the right decision.
“It has been 30 days since we accepted this amnesty programme, 30 days after the people gathered, and, I guess, the larger part of Nigeria is beginning to ask what is the government’s pre-and-post amnesty plan.
General Abbe, had while addressing the ex-militants on the need for the interactive session, said the meeting was another step forward in their continuous discussions on the way forward for lasting peace in the Niger Delta and Nigeria.
He told them that what President Umaru Yar’Adua and Nigeria wanted from them now was how to achieve total peace and ensure that the country built on the successes already achieved by making sure that the peace was sustained.
As if reading the minds of the ex-militants, the minister said they should not regret their decision because it would not go unrecognised, adding that the decision they took was not in error.
Abbe said: “President Yar’Adua shows appreciation in the prompt manner you responded. The decision you took to lay down your arms is not in error; the decision will not go unrecognised. For that singular act, you have given the president hope and you have given hope to the rest of Nigerians.”
The minister said the amnesty programme had also demonstrated that Nigeria was capable of solving its problems. He added that peace should dwell within the country, if Nigeria could go to other countries to give them peace.
The minister explained that between now and the end of November, there would be a call up of genuine repentant militants to camp, but added that because of accommodation problem, the first set to be put together would be 3, 000.
He, appealed to the ex-militant leaders to support the move, because the call up would not work effectively without their full participation.
He said the rehabilitation would be organised in such a way that those who wanted to learn skills would be given the opportunity, while those of secondary school age, who were ready to go to school, would be helped to do so.
Those who were ready to go to university, he said, would be encouraged to prepare for university admission examinations next year, while those who already had skills, like fishermen, would be assisted with equipment and loan facilities to effectively take off.
He also stated that many major construction works would start in the Niger Delta area in the next couple of days, which would include roads and habitable communities.