Some former Niger Delta agitators, under the auspices of Ifalibabou Revolution Movement have expressed indignation over their non-inclusion in the Federal Government’s amnesty programme.
The group recalled that its members numbering over 3,000 voluntarily surrendered their arms and withdrew from their trenches to embrace amnesty on December 30, 2010 to enable peace to reign in the region.
But coordinator of the group, Keithy Sese, fondly called ‘General Nomukeme’, told journalists in Yenagoa on Sunday that their non-inclusion could scuttle the prevailing peace enjoyed in the region.
Sese said the group’s appeal to the government to include them in the programme was born out of the desire not to return to the trenches because it would have a far-reaching implication on President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.
He said he and his followers were among the third phase of ex-militants who surrendered their arms and alleged that some of their documentation files were missing in the Amnesty Office.
The former agitator urged Jonathan to prevail on the Amnesty Office to document their members to enable them to have a sense of belonging having surrendered their arms and ammunition to embrace peace.
“No legitimate and responsible government could treat issues like peace process, amnesty and invasion of communities by military forces with levity,” Sese argued.
Sese said 26 ex-militants in his former camp located at Foropa in Southern Ijaw Local Government of the state were documented last year by the AO while others were abandoned to their fate.
He said, “This is the fourth year since the group voluntarily participated in the disarmament process of the Federal Government amnesty programme. None of our members have undergone re-orientation or re-integration of the programme.
“What then will be the place of these ex-agitators when government takes the option of abandoning us? Even my very self , ‘Gen.Nomukeme’ has not been documented by the Amnesty Office in Abuja.
“It is therefore imperative for the Federal Government to include me and my followers into the amnesty training programme,” he said.
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