Connect with us

Metro

Return our weapons within 21 days, ex-militants issue ultimatum to govt

Published

on

Return our weapons within 21 days, ex-militants issue ultimatum to govt

Some ex-militants in Ondo State on Wednesday vowed to return to militancy, issuing an ultimatum to the state government to return their weapons.

They lamented that the state government had failed to fulfil its promise of including them in the amnesty programme of the federal government after they surrendered their arms.

The ex-militants had last year surrendered their arms to the state government on the promise that they would be included in the amnesty programme of the federal fovernment, but they allege that one year after, the government had failed to fulfill its promise.

The aggrieved ex-militants vowed to return to the creeks to resume their criminal activities.

Speaking on behalf of the ex-militants, a leader of the group, Ogailo Ibory, in a statement, said the group was tired of the aunfulfilled promises of the state government.

According to him, the group will not allow any political activities to happen in Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas of the state if the government failed to make them benefit from the amnesty programme.

Read also: ABUSES: Human Rights Commission receives 17 petitions against SARS in S’South

He said, “Last year, we heeded to the appeal of the Ondo State Government through the Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, and the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Donald Ojogo, who came to the creeks to free the six Epe students we kidnapped in protest.

“That time, the two of them promised to work out amnesty for us and we thereafter agreed to drop our guns. Up till now, we have been abandoned and no one is talking to us, they have used and dumped us in the creeks and since last year, amnesty is not coming.

“We are using this medium to request the Ondo State Government to kindly return our guns that they took from us since last year within the next 21 days. We are very serious and we are prepared for anything that will follow.”

The ex-militants threatened to cause chaos in the riverine communities of the state if the government failed to return their arms to them within 21 days.

However, the Chairman of the publicity subcommittee of the state amnesty programme, Donald Ojogo, appealed to the ex-militants to bear with the state government, saying the matter would be resolved very soon.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now