Niger Delta youth leaders on
Wednesday warned the National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj-Gen Babagana Mungunu
(Retd) on the implications of hijacking the management of the Presidential
Amnesty Office on the stability and peace in the region.
The youths noted that mismanagement
of the Amnesty Programme could lead to return of armed restiveness to the
oil-producing Niger Delta region.
Some youth leaders who reacted to
the suspension of Prof. Charles Dokubo, Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty
Programme urged the NSA to liaise with leaders of the Niger Delta region to
nominate at least five representatives to the Interim Committee for the Amnesty
Office.
Mr Charles Omusuku, a youth leader
and renowned Niger Delta activist said that the Amnesty Programme was a product
of dialogue and consultation and wondered why the NSA was bent on unilaterally
taking over the scheme with a view to winding up the scheme.
He said that the plot to hijack the
amnesty scheme which was historically run by people the Niger Delta region was
both provocative and unacceptable.
"The history of the amnesty
offer was not by coercion but by consultation, dialogue and stakeholder
engagement and the ex-militants accepted the offer due to their peaceful
disposition and the quest to give peace a chance.
"We urge the President to call
the NSA to order and immediately include at least five representatives of the
region and appoint a replacement for Prof Charles Dokubo from amongst the Ijaws
in the Niger Delta.
"We want to president to wade
in and convene a stakeholder engagement with Ijaws led by Bayelsa Governor,
Senator Douye Diri, leader of Ijaw Elders Consultative Forum Chief T.K Okoriba
to chart a way forward," Omusuku said.
Also Pastor Olayinka
Jude-Tiedor, National President, Niger Delta Youth Coalition for Peace and Process
noted that youths from the region were watching developments in the Amnesty
Office with keen interest.
He said that the development had
affected the payment of January and February stipends for ex-militants under
the amnesty scheme.
Jude-Tiedor advised the NSA to
desist from further unilateral interference in the Amnesty Programme and adopt
the principle of engaging with stakeholders.
"The NSA has no moral right to
be a judge in his own matter, the NSA is fingered in most of the petitions against
Dokubo, because Dokubo was working in closely under his supervision and
directives.
“We are aware of the stakeholders
Monitoring and Evaluation committee set up by Prof Charles Dokubo.
“The committee, during their
retreat, came out with mind-blowing discoveries on administration recklessness,
especially from the civil servants and channels command.
“From findings it was crystal clear
that Dokubo was not in charge of the programme, he merely running errands for
his boss the NSA , just the way former Coordinator, Paul Boroh ran the errands
until he was no longer comfortable with him and eased him out.
“It will interest the general public
to note the so-called Interim Committee has been operating in the backgrounds
in the past months.
.
"So the principle of natural
justice should prevail and the President should take the lead in handling the
matter to ensure that the fragile peace in the Niger Delta is not further
breached. Our position remains that the Amnesty programme holds the key to
peace in the region.
"Adopting the military tactics
in the Niger Delta failed and will fail again, is the Nigerian military ready
for the looming battle if the Amnesty Programme gets scuttled?" He asked.
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