*We are only verifying and documenting genuine militants/arms submitted—ITF
Arubi Emmanuel
19 February 2013, Sweetcrude, WARRI – THE Inter-Agency Task Force, ITF, on verification and documentation of ex-militants in the Niger Delta has charged all those who submitted weapons to the Joint Task Force and other security agencies in Delta State between the end of the second phase of the Amnesty programme and Marc h 2012 to come forward for on-going verification exercise at the Nigerian Army 3 Battalion Barracks Effurun, Warri.
The Task Force warned that they are in possession of a comprehensive list of those who genuinely submitted weapons and are therefore in a position to apprehend impostors and deal with any fraudulent act capable of subverting the current documentation process taking place from 8:am to 4:pm daily, adding that their mandate is to verify and document those who truly submitted weapons to JTF and other security agencies.
The Media relations officer of the Inter-Agency Task Force, Squadron Leader Ibrahim Bukar, disclosed that “people not affected by this exercise including grassroot political movement groups are vehemently advised to stay away as any one caught would be appropriately sanctioned”, noting that the warning has become necessary to give a clear picture of what they are set out to achieve.
“This Task Force is committed to thoroughly carry out its assignment and ensure that only those ex-militants who are qualified are enrolled in the Amnesty Programme.”
The task force said that at the conclusion of the exercise, there will be a public display of arms and ammunitions retrieved from the JTF and other security agencies in the state.
Some ex-militants of Urhobo ethnic nationalities are protesting the exercise, saying its modus-operandi is different from previous exercises on the same issue of Amnesty and intended to short change them.
