FG Amnesty: N/Delta Militants Divided Over N50bn Package - Yar’Adua May Shelve Visit To Bayelsa, Bin Laden Surrenders Weapons To JTF, Military Presence Remains, Amnesty Begins August 6

Okey Muogbo, Donald Ojogo & Bolaji Ogundele - 27.06.2009

Forty-eight hours after the presidential proclamation of amnesty to Niger Delta militants, confusion appears to be rocking militants’ camp over whether or not to accept the government’s N50 billion package.

While some notorious commanders of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) came out accepting “the peace offer” from the Federal Government, the umbrella body for militant groups in the oil-rich region, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) has dissociated itself from the amnesty deal.

The exercise was further threatened as heavy battle continued on Friday in the creeks between men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) and the main militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

Four key militants’ leaders; Ateke Tom, Comrade Farah Dagogo, Soboma George and Ebikabowei Victor Ben (aka Boy Loaf), which MEND claimed as its senior commanders, on Friday through representatives, reiterated their acceptance of the Federal Government’s offer.

Speaking to newsmen at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, representatives of militants leaders, Ikenna Eneikweizu (Ateke Tom), Innocent Iboroma (Farah Dagogo), Cletus Arerebo (Boy Loaf), Success Jack (Soboma George) said they had been mandated by the militants to seek audience with President Umaru Yar’Adua in order to reach a consensus on all the issues agitating their minds to speed up the process of renunciation.

The militants’ representatives also said it was after the outcome of their meeting with President Yar’Adua, that the militants would announce when they will begin to hand over their arms and ammunition to the Federal Government.

The militants’ representatives also pledged to work with the National Peace Foundation (NPF), an organisation chaired by Chief Rochas Okorocha, who is also president of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, as regards further contacts and dialogue with the Federal Government on the issue of amnesty.

They disclosed that the proclamation of amnesty was an offer of peace, adding that “Niger Delta militants are not criminals, but freedom fighters, who have over the years given their time, money, energy, liberty and live, towards ensuring that the Niger Delta people receive a fair treatment from the oil companies and government for their God-given resources.”

However, as of the time of filing this report, a major militant leader in the Ogoni axis of Rivers State, Osama Bin Laden, was handing his groups cache of arms over to security operatives in the state in fulfilment of his promise to be the first to respond to the amnesty offer.

As at 3:30p.m., everything had been put in place for the ceremony taking place in Yeghe community, Gokana Local Government Area, as the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, was being expected.

But the JRC, under which auspices militant groups in the region, including the MEND, operate, said in a statement circulated in Port Harcourt by its spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte that the amnesty deal had further revealed the Federal Government’s insincerity.

According to Whyte, the amnesty largesse would only assuage criminal elements in the genuine Niger Delta struggle, stating that the Yar’Adua administration had failed the Niger Delta people.

“I wish to announce a complete dissociation of the Joint Revolutionary Council from the Umaru Yar’Adua amnesty largesse even though we recognise that it would provide great succour for bandit elements within renegade criminal ranks.

“This so-called amnesty is the latest in a series of “Greek gifts” awarded to the people of the Niger Delta to enable smooth access to the oil in our communities. Others include the Niger Delta Development Commission (which was designed to fail from the onset) and the Ministry of Niger Delta headquartered in Abuja.

Whyte said the bombardment of the Ijaw communities in the Gbaramatu kingdom was the height of a military drive to annihilate the Ijaws without recourse to due process and the appropriate rules of engagement.

But throwing his weight behind the President Yar’Adua’s amnesty plan, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has said that would be “Turning a new chapter in the Niger Delta.

In a statement personally signed by the governor and made available to Saturday Tribune on Friday, Uduaghan said “I welcome and endorse completely the amnesty announced by the Federal Government to our youths who were forced by certain circumstances to engage in violent acts in the Niger delta region of the country.

“I wish to specially thank President for taking the bull by the horn in accepting to adopt this policy, which I believe will go along way in easing the crisis in the region.”

Meanwhile, there are indications that Yar’adua may cancel his planned visit to Bayelsa State on Monday in order to have wider consultations with leaders from the region.

Although the reason for the possible postponement cannot be ascertained as at press time, a top presidency source hinted that President Ya’ardua is expected to meet with the governors of the Niger Delta states and some opinion leaders from the region to firm up new strategies in ensuring that militants accepted the opportunity provided by the amnesty granted them.

In another development, against the mixed reactions whether the militants will accept the amnesty offer or not, the Inspector-general of police, Mr. Mike Okiro said on Friday that four of the militant leaders have accepted the amnesty offered to militants in the Niger Delta.

Speaking as part of the Federal Government team that briefed State House reporters on the details of the amnesty which the government announced on Thursday, the IGP also said that the four militants had agreed to cease hostilities and surrender their arms to government and to allow peace reign in the area.

Okiro gave their names as, Solomon Ngene, Ateke Tom, Farah and Boy Loaf,who have shown interest for peace and are ready to abide by all the conditions of the amnesty.

Minister of Interior, General Godwin Abbe who led the team that addressed the journalists on the details of the amnesty, however, clarified that contrary to speculations, there would be no monetary inducement for the exchange of arms to be surrendered by militants.

Abbe who headed the presidential committee that recommended the amnesty package, said the incentives offered in the package covered rehabilitation and constructive engagement with the militants for productive living.

Government has equally dangled an olive branch to one of the militant leaders, Henry Okah, who was arrested last year after being extradited from Angola over charges of gun running and is presently under detention.

Unfolding the detailed plans of the amnesty, Abbe said the actual date of commencement of amnesty is August 6, and that it would end on October 4.

Within this period, he added all militants are expected to accept the amnesty offer, surrender their arms and then be rehabilitated.

The interior minister was joined in the press conference by the Chief Coordinator of the Implementation Committee of the Presidential Amnesty for Niger Delta Militants, Air Vice Marshal Lucky Ararile, Okiro, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike, Dr. Timiebi Koripamo-Agary, the coordinator of the media activities and AIG Azubuko Udah

Okiro further said that militants who have shown high level of commitment are expected to surrender the arms at their disposal to the nearest police station within their vicinities for collection.

The IGP announced that a collection point and integration centre for the arms has also been established in Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Ondo and Akwa Ibom States .

Okah, Presidential spokesman, Olusegun Adeniyi said the MEND leader, currently being prosecuted at a court in Jos, would be freed if he accepted the amnesty offer and complies with its terms.

“Nigeria needs to inform the Presidents of Angola and Equatorial Guinea as a matter of courtesy about the whole process. Remember he was extradited from Angola, and our president had a discussion with these two presidents when he went to Saudi Arabia.

“So until the process is over, it is difficult to say exactly when he will be released. In a matter of days, the president will be sending special representatives to Angola to deliver the information to the Angolan leader and that of Equatorial Guinea to brief them of the process and progress made so far,“ he emphasised.

On what happens to the Joint Military Task Force, the CDS, Dike said, ”The JTF was established for a purpose, and once that objective is achieved, it will fizzle out.

“Military formations will remain as they are, and can only act in self defence when attacked. We expect that both parties know what amnesty is all about and they will play their respective roles.

As for the JTF, they have been adequately briefed on the terms of the amnesty and they will give maximum respect to the terms”, he assured.

Speaking on the cost of the amnesty package, Abbe said over N50 billion is expected to be used in the rehabilitation process after the 60 days period to put in place lasting structures for the sustenance of peace and development.

”The amnesty begins with militants accepting the offer unconditionally. The next is the surrendering of arms to police stations and then rehabilitation. Its a long process that could cost more than N50 billion and will involved the three tiers of government and oil companies who will all contribute to the process.

“Federal agencies like the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and the Petroleum Trust Development Fund, (PTDF), will be involved in providing skills acquisition to the militants,” he stated.The rift between President Umaru Yar’Adua and his predecessor, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has deepened in recent times, with the former president said to have felt completely left out of government processes.

Sources close to the leaders confirmed to the Saturday Tribune that the former president was no longer in the know about the workings of the administration.

Most political appointees, who used to be close to Obasanjo but are serving in the present administration are said to be sticking to an unstated rule to keep the former president in the dark.

“Most of them (political office holders) are, as a matter of policy, deliberately leaving out Obasanjo from their discussions and it does not matter the level of closeness they had with him when he was in power,” a source told the Saturday Tribune.

It was also gathered that the former president was shocked, recently, when one of the appointees called him.

The former president exclaimed: “So you too can risk it and call me? I thought all of you have been told not to talk about me again.”

Saturday Tribune source said that the former president had forgotten he was holding a meeting with a delegation of politicians from the South-West when he openly expressed the frustration.

He was later said to have picked his phone and excused himself from the meeting so as to engage the caller in a discussion.

It was gathered that the former president later returned to the meeting and told his visitors about the frustrations he had experienced in the hands of the current administration.

He was said to have told the delegation that he was no longer bothered whether some people wanted him removed from the chairmanship of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party.

According to a source, the former president felt that he was being treated as someone who never contributed anything to the government, a complete outsider, whereas, most of the current office holders adored him when he was in office.

“The man is unhappy with the manner he is being treated by this government. Although the government saved him from the embarrassment of having to face impeachment as BOT chairman at the special convention of the party, he felt that he was no longer worried about whatever they were up to now,” said another source.

But it was gathered that the top hierarchy of power in the North played a significant role in ensuring that the rift between Obasanjo and Yar’Adua deepened.

It was learnt that the North was not comfortable with the role Obasanjo started playing at the start of the Yar’Adua administration in 2007.

Said a source: “When many of the top Northerners got wind of the indication that Obasanjo was the one making ministerial nominations for the government, they became unhappy.

“They felt that since the man had had eight years, it was time for him to let go of power and allow Yar’Adua be himself.”

The source stated that the northern leaders were embarrassed to discover that most lobbyists for top posts were actually going to see Obasanjo in 2007, instead of addressing the newly elected president.

Another source added: “We brought Obasanjo to power; though he turned against us and did his own thing, but when he was in power, nobody dictated to him. Why would he be the one asking the President to drop one ministerial nominee or the other? We learnt that he was actually adding and subtracting names at will.”

It was learnt that the North felt betrayed by Obasanjo’s conduct in 1999 when he refused to listen to their counsel, after they had fished him out to become the President.

Another knowledgeable source said: “The set up in 1999 was in favour of Dr. Alex Ekwueme, but the Northern topshots, who were also sympathetic to the military, were uncomfortable with Ekwueme.

“They felt that Ekwueme could get there and continue the unfinished agenda of the Shagari administration, so they fished out Obasanjo. But the former president did not recognise that when he got into office. He was the big boss and everybody respected that. But it is wrong for him to want to continue what he did with power during Yar’Adua’s tenure,” the source said.