The December deadline set by President Muhammadu Buhari for the termination of the presidential amnesty programme in the Niger Delta has drawn the ire of Third Phase Amnesty ex-militants, who have vowed to resist any attempt to terminate the programme.
In a statement by their National Secretary, Tam Odogwu on Sunday, the ex-militants described the statement as shocking, noting that the programme has contributed immensely to the relative peace and stability in the Niger Delta region, which has boosted the production and exportation of crude oil.
Odogwu said that Niger Delta ex-agitators congratulate President Buhari for his smooth and peaceful swearing-in ceremony in Abuja.
“Indeed, it was victory for Nigerians and Nigeria in the comity of nations.
“Nevertheless, we are shocked by the statement made by Buhari as regards the Niger Delta. We want to unequivocally state here that we reject the deadline of terminating amnesty programme by December 2015.
“We are very ready to support Buhari’s administration but we will not support the plan to end the amnesty programme and will resist any attempt to do so because it will mean another round of injustice”.
