Niger Delta: "Drop Arms Now, Amnesty Ends 2017" – Presidency Warns Militants

The Federal Government on Friday insisted that the Presidential Amnesty Programme for the Niger Delta ex-militants will not be extended after its expiration in 2017.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, on assumption of office, approved a two-year extension of the programme till 2017.

His Special Adviser on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, on Friday urged those still in the creeks to drop their arms.

He spoke while addressing some ex-fighters trained as electrical engineers who were in his office to present a transformer they worked on to him.

The visitors demonstrated their skills to him with a transformer which they presented to him.

The former agitators were trained by Brainbox Matrix Services Limited.

Boroh said, “Amnesty programme will not last forever. It will end next year. I thank God that you have finished your training. You can fit into Ministry of Mines and Power or private sector.

“You can imagine a group of persons who have transformed from militants to electrical engineers.

“Obviously, I am very proud of it because it has been a success story. And my appreciation goes to Mr. President who has done this in his determination and commitment to stabilising the Niger Delta region through human capacity development and infrastructure development.”

Boroh disclosed that 23 ex-agitators took part in the training which was meant to develop their capacity in transformer maintenance and establishment.

Boroh had in a recent interview assured that government dialogue with Niger Delta Dialogue Contact Group (NDDCG) and the Pan Niger Delta Group (PNDG) being led by King Diete-Spiff, and Chief Edwin Clark, will yield results.