Still, chains tie amnesty down

Indeed, to make its point as enunciated in the Seven-Point agenda, the apex government began to implement its post-amnesty programme by earmarking N200 billion for the implementation of  projects. No sooner than this was announced members of  the Imo State House of Assembly, the state itself an oil producing one,  protested  to the Minister of […]

Indeed, to make its point as enunciated in the Seven-Point agenda, the apex government began to implement its post-amnesty programme by earmarking N200 billion for the implementation of  projects. No sooner than this was announced members of  the Imo State House of Assembly, the state itself an oil producing one,  protested  to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Ufot Ekaette over the N6 billion iven the state for developmental projects.

Their argument, according to the State House of Assembly Speaker, Chief Goodluck Opiah was that the amount was “inadequate and unacceptable”. Arguing that “Imo should not be left out in the scheme of things”, the Speaker insisted that” the case of Imo should be the same with other Niger Delta states because we suffer the same ecological, economical and mental problems with other oil producingstates. The quality of crude oil in Imo is not inferior to the quality of oil from the other parts of the Niger Delta. We share the same geographical terrain and common knowledge indicates that we suffer the same problems with them.”

Although many of the militant leaders gave up their arms and embraced the presidential pardon, offered to end years of violence in the oil-rich region, the perceived delay by the Federal Government to fulfill its part of the deal has irked most of the militants who are once again threatening fire and brimstone.

The main militant coalition, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) has been accusing the government of double standards and employment of divide-and-rule in its ongoing post-amnesty negotiations.

Last week a former chieftain of the movement, Government Ekpomupolo, aka Tom Polo accused President Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s of insincerity in implementating the post amnesty programme. MEND on its has threatened to withdraw from the entire programme, including the expected rehabilitation of ex-militants, who had complied with the amnesty conditions by surrendering their weapons.

 “In this next phase, we will burn down and attack all installations and no longer limit our attacks to the destruction of pipelines. We will fight for our land with the last drop of our blood regardless of how many people the government of Nigeria and the oil companies aresuccessful in bribing,” MEND said.

Also, other former “warlords” in Nigeria’s oil-rich region are angered by their non-inclusion in the current post-amnesty talks, to which President Yar’adua has invited some former militant leaders, including members of MEND. There is this complaint of uneven treatment of the ex-militants describing the attitude of the government as discriminatory and diversionary.

Ex-MEND sector commander in Rivers state, Busta Rhymes told Weekly Trust that he is against the selective engagement process of the repentant militant leaders who have been involved in the talks with Yar’adua. He said “a situation where some of us were being treated with kids glove and others kept at arms length does not augur well for genuine reconciliation and dialogue.’’

Others also told Weekly Trust that the government’s handling of post amnesty is shoddy. They posited that if restrain is not observed, they will be forced to be go back to the trenches. Although they are apprehensive of what the government could do if they embark on their mission, the ex-militants said they will not hesitate to pursue a path that will enhance their agitation for equity. They require that all the anomalies so far raised should be corrected.

At the beginning of the months government  and some former militant leaders met in Abuja to seek ways of ensuring that all the fears expressed by the ex-militants do not jettison peace and truncate the chance of a lasting peace to the troubled region.

Nonetheless, Weekly Trust was informed by one of the ex-militants that the manner in which the Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Godwin Abbe (rtd) handled the parley is not encouraging to them.

Victor Ebika Bowei, aka Boyloaf, said: “Does the minister think we are small boys? His utterances are not helping what the government is trying to do. He cannot tell us what to say or do. We did not come out of the creek to be manipulated by some political office holders.”

Another ex-militant also hinted that the Federal Government is pursuing a sinister design and keeping all its aces close to its hest. He said it is wrong for government to expect the militants to sallow its bitter pills without scrutiny and verifications. “We are no fools. We cannot just accept all that is being brought before us without examining them before we makecommitments.’’

An official of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Udengs Eradiri, said they were beginning to wonder why they supported the amnesty. “We actually took the right decision. Those at the helm of affairs already know the problem and we should not be at the planning phase at this time implementing an agenda that must have been proffered since 2007 till date. It has been 30 days since we accepted the amnesty programme, 30 days after the people gathered, including (surrendering their weapons) and I guess the larger part of Nigeria are beginning to ask: ‘what is the government’s pre- and post-amnesty plan?’

According to the body:”We are tired of having these meetings. The way and manner we have been attending meetings, I am aware that from 2007 till date, we have exhausted whatever is needed to be said. Today, you call this group, tomorrow you call another group and nothing is being said.

These agenda are the reasons why we are here. People are wondering what questions are we going to ask and what answers are you going to receive. So, this question and answer session, my people are wondering what answers you are going to provide. What they want to see is that there are things that can be done now, tomorrow, next tomorrow and two years from now.

But General Abbe was not fazed by this statement. To him the meeting was a step forward in finding peace in the region. He told the militant leaders that what President Yar’Adua and Nigeria desire from them now is how to achieve total peace and ensure that the country builds on the successes already achieved by making sure the peace is sustained.

“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 Mr. President hope and you have given hope to the rest of Nigerians,” he said.

The minister is not the only one optimistic that Nigeria can get it right on this problem. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) too shares that sentiment. However, the post amnesty meetings which were supposed to be continuous had gone into hibernation. Little is also known about the next phase of implementation of the amnesty offer, which has to do with integration and rehabilitation.

In the last two months, 3,000 registered ex-militants were expected for call up to a rehabilitation camp but the Federal Government has admitted that it could not meet up because of lack of accommodation and logistics. The question begging for answer here is what happened to the N50 billion said to have been voted for the entire amnesty which the Minister of Defence, then in his position as Minister of Interior, agreed was provided? Will this trend encourage the European Union (EU) to fulfil the pledge it made of donating  90 million Euros to support the post-amnesty programme?

Another immediate problem regarding the rehabilitation and Reintegration of the repentant militants is lack of adequate allowances for them. It is already public knowledge that they are used to big money when they were in the creeks. One of our sister publications reported that Tom Polo’s militants’ demolished Camp 5 earned 300 per cent more than soldiers daily.

 There were earlier signs in Bayelsa State that allowance is likely to be a factor among many others that will derail the post amnesty endeavour. Some of the militants staged riotous protests trice in Yenagoa. Others also demonstrated in Benin, the Edo State capital. In all the protests, the complaint of the protesters has been the non-payment of their demobilization daily stipend of N1, 500.

Although media reports indicate that about 15,000 militants are slated for rehabilitation, what will be the fate of those who have not been aptured in these projections? There are many of such whose leaders and groups, thouhg disarmed, but were still being held for one offence or the other in prisons across the region.

There are also fears that some militant leaders like Tom Ateke have simply disappeared after their October 4 surrender. Another fear is that there are still many guns out of hands. According toformer governor of Delta State, Mr James Ibori although the size and calibre of arms and ammunition recovered from the militants is quite formidable and frightening. He expressed pessimism that there are still a lot more unrecovered.

Recently Ibori told an audience in Lagos that “offering short-time training in technical skills and reorientation for them (ex-militants) will not guarantee sustainable incomes and livelihoods.

More innovative strategies are called for by way of large-scale investment in industry and education to absorb the surging energies of those who have come forward and millions of others who are equally aggrieved but have not taken up arms.”

Prof Tam David-West told Weekly Trust that post-amnesty may achieve little or nothing with the red carpet treatment being given to some repentant militants who are flown to Abuja in presidential jets and driven into Aso Rock in tinted cars. “The impression this gives is that that the government is glamorising militancy. The entire process was too ‘razzmatazzed’ and politicized to give the profound event a real soul”.