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Daily_Independent (Lagos)
****** Nigeria: Surrender Your Arms Now, South South Representatives Tell
Tompolo, Ateke ******
Francis Onoiribholo and Bassey Inyang
4 September 2009
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Benin/Calabar — South South federal lawmakers have appealed to Government
Ekpemuopolo (Tompolo) and Ateke Tom, two Niger Delta militant leaders, to turn
in their arms and accept the amnesty offered by Abuja, which expires on October
4.
Chairman of the South South caucus in the House of Representatives, Andrew
Uchendu, who spoke on behalf of the body in Calabar on Wednesday, said the two
men accepting the olive branch would facilitate peace and development of the
region.
"We have so far watched the implementation of the amnesty and the number of
militants that have embraced the policy and turned in their arms.
"We feel greatly satisfied that both sides mean well for the nation. We
therefore call on all other militants that are yet to surrender their arms to
do so in the interest of Nigeria and the development of the Niger Delta," he
pleaded.
Uchendu recalled that the caucus was one of the first groups to applaud the
amnesty deal. He encouraged all militants to embrace it because it is an
opportunity to solve the Niger Delta question.
The caucus is satisfied with the way the government is implementing its own
side of the amnesty, he added, noting that Abuja has demonstrated the zeal,
sincerity, and political will to do so.
"We believe that the Federal Government is sincere. If not, (Henry) Okah who
was on trial as at the time the government initiated the amnesty would not have
been released."
Uchendu said legislators in the South South caucus are confident that the
security of repentant militants is guaranteed by the government, since it is
not in the national interest for any militant who has turned a new leaf to be
victimised by the government that proclaimed amnesty.
He urged the militants to vacate the creeks and hand over their arms to the
authorities.
Uchendu said the government is not paying for arms returned, insisting that
Abuja will not descend to such a low level to pacify insurgents.
He promised that the caucus will do all it can to ensure that the amnesty
programme succeeds, so as to restore peace to the Niger Delta.
He lamented that what started as an honest and focused agitation has been
hijacked by criminals who have turned it into an opportunity to kidnap for
ransom.
Uchendu urged Niger Deltans to get rid of the criminals in their midst.
The counsel reverberated in Benin on Wednesday night, as members of the
Olodiama chapter of the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters surrendered their arms to
the Amnesty Panel.
The event took place at the Federal Government Girls College.
Led by their leader, Robert Okobo, about 60 of them surrendered six AK47
riffles, three dane guns, 11 magazines, 115 live ammunition, four dynamites,
and Army uniforms.
Squadron Leader Idowu Ayo received the arms on behalf of the Amnesty Panel.
Okobo said they believe that President Umaru Yar'Adua is sincere in his promise
to tackle the Niger Delta problem which had made them to up arms to fight for
their rights.
He, however, warned Abuja not to renege on its promises to the region, because
the consequences of failure will be great.
Ovia South West Council Chairman, Monday Aighobahi, praised the militants for
heeding the call to surrender their weapons.
He pleaded with the government to reciprocate by fulfilling its promises to the
people of the Niger Delta, so as to head off the recurrence of violence.
Copyright © 2009 Daily Independent. All rights reserved. Distributed by
AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
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