Repentant Militants Threaten Return To The Creeks
From Willie Etim, Yenagoa
A FRESH threat is now facing the disarmament programme and amnesty deal offered by the Federal Government to militants. Reason: Repentant militants in Bayelsa State yesterday took to the streets in protest of their alleged neglect by the state government and the Presidential Amnesty committee; a development, which they say, may derail the entire process.
The militants also protested being housed in dilapidated building in rehabilitation centres and expressed displeasure over the disparity in payment between them and their erstwhile leaders whom they accused of enjoying much benefit from the state government while they were left at the mercy of the prevailing economic hardship.
The boys, numbering over hundred, threatened that they would abandon their leaders and go back to the creeks to resume their 'struggle' if they are not paid their allowances.
They also threatened that if their rehabilitation camps at the Ebis Guest House and Imirigi areas of the state were not refurbished, they would embark on violent and organized attacks on men of the Nigerian Police and the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the State capital.
The protest caused serious traffic jam when The Guardia visited the Biogbolo area of the state. However, the intervention of the JTF saved the situation from degenerating into chaos.
Some of the youths who spoke with The Guardian accused militia leaders such as Commander Ezizi Ogunbos, Commander Joshua Machiver, General Africa Ukparasia and Comrade Victor Ben Ebikabowei alias Field Marshal Boyloaf of conniving with the state government to divert the stipend released for their upkeep.
One of the youths, who identified himself as Ebi Johnson, said the deal they had with the state government and their leader, Boyloaf, was that they would be given a sum of N10million if they complied with the call for disarmament.
He claimed that most of the affected militants were stranded and had in the last few weeks been roaming the streets of Yenagoa, a situation he said could result in violent attacks and invasions of known members of the State cabinet and businesses.
The youths decried the situation where their leaders were being accommodated at the State House without any communication channel provided for their followers to contact them.
"We made an initial attempt to reach them but were turned back by heavily armed security men. We are warning the Federal Government to prevail on the Governor and the amnesty committee not to engage in acts to force us back to the creeks. We need our money and we need habitable camps to stay," one of them said.
