*Foreign oil workers urged to leave region
Samuel Oyadongha
17 November 2011, Sweetcrude, Yenagoa – As the 14 days ultimatum issued to the federal government to integrate them into amnesty programme expires weekend agrrieved ex militants in the Niger Delta have called on expartriates working for multinational companies in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states to leave in their own interests.
The warning was issued yesterday by the forum of all ex militants leaders on phase III of amnesty under the leadership of General Keithy Sese after it reviewed the 14 day ultimatum lamenting that non of its demand was implemented by the federal government.
In a statement signed by General Gift Tare, Commander Iduwini Volunteer Force and Coordinator of all ex-militants on Amnesty third phase, the forum condemn in the strongest terms the indiscriminate arrest and intimidation of its members and leaders allgedly instigated by the Mr Kingsley Kuku led Presidential Amnesty Committee.
According to the forum over 36 of its dutiful and loyal comrades have been arrested and vowed “to resist the intimidation very seriously.”
The statement read in part, “the forum of all ex-militant leaders on phase 3 of the amnesty programmer under the leadership of General Keithy Sese, the General Officer commanding all ex-militant on Phase 3 met to review the 14 days ultimatum issued on the 5th of November, 2011 which expires on Saturday 19th of November, 2011and following the none response by those concerned all Unit Commanders, Unit Leaders are by this directive directed to be on red alert in their area of operations and to carry out to the last order all directives/instructions from the GOC from the midnight of Saturday 19th November, 2011.
“In the meeting which lasted over 3 hours, we critically reviewed the amnesty programme, and the fact that the implementers have decided to apply double standard in dealing with various ex-militants from various ethnic nationalities, preference to fighters of some selected Generals and the meeting resolved as follows:
“That we condemn in the strongest terms the indiscriminate arrest/ intimidations of our followers and leaders at the instances of Mr Kingsley Kuku led Presidential Amnesty Committee as over 36 of our dutiful and loyal Comrades have been arrested and we intend to resist these intimidation very seriously.
“That having waited for the expiration of the 14 days ultimatum which expires in the midnight of Saturday 19th of November, 2011 we have no choice but to resort to the use of violence which is the only language that the Nigerian government understand.
“Accordingly, we direct all multi-nationals and their expatriates workers to urgently relocate from these States of Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers as we will not be held responsible for anything that befalls people who refuse to listen to this modest directives.
“That we demand the Federal Government to urgently probe the Presidential Amnesty Committee as we have facts and figures to show that several persons who are not even recognise ex-militants are not only benefitting from the programme, but are today deciding the fate and destiny of known ex-fighters and patriots of the Niger Delta emancipation.
“That except the Federal Government direct the Presidential Amnesty Committee to urgently convene a stake-holder meeting where the amnesty programme will be given a more-human face, we have no other choice, but to continue with these protests and targeted attacks that are going to be more deadly in the days ahead.”
“We request that all ex-militants who have patriotically accepted the amnesty programme by submitting their arms to the Joint Military Taskforce (JTF) MUST be recognised, trained while those who have already attended the training but are not being paid should urgently be pacified through their regular monthly allowances.”