Chukwudi Akasike
The Ijaw National Congress has called on
the Federal Government to leave former Niger Delta militant leaders
alone and avoid provoking any crisis or insecurity in the oil rich
region.
The INC specifically said that former
militant leaders in the region like Chief Ateke Tom and others should be
encourage to continue to preach peace to the youths of the region.
National Publicity Secretary of the INC,
Mr. Victor Borubo, said in an exclusive interview with our
correspondent on Saturday that rather than attempt to engage in a
witch-hunt of ex-militant leaders, government should help to further
integrate them into the economic development of the country.
It will be recalled that the Economic
and Financial Crimes Commission had invited one of the former
ex-agitators, Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, to explain
an alleged unclear dealings involving the sale of some parcels of land
worth N13bn to the Federal Government under the immediate past
administration.
Borubo, who spoke during an interactive
forum with the Ijaw Youth Action Movement in Port Harcourt on Saturday,
stated that Ateke Tom and other former Niger Delta militant leaders had
embraced peace after surrendering their arms, adding that they
(ex-fighters) were no longer interested in going back to the creeks.
He said, “I want to pointedly call on
the Federal Government not to engage in any witch-hunt, harassment or
otherwise intimidation of Comrade Ateke Tom and other Niger Delta
ex-militant leaders, who after surrendering their arms, according to the
terms and agreement of the 2009 Amnesty deal, have maintained a low
profile.
“We are living witnesses to the role of
the Comrade Ateke Tom to broker peace between various factions of Ijaw
youths during the Ijaw Youth Council crisis 2013.
“A man who worked so actively with Ijaw National Congress to build peace should be encouraged to maintain peace.
“We should therefore not deliberately
provoke or instigate crisis for political ends and throw the Niger Delta
into another round of violence and insecurity.
“The ex-agitators should be further integrated into the socio-economic development of society.
“All Nigerians must guard against the criminalization of choice.”
The INC spokesman urged the youths to
shun violence, adding that elections in Rivers and Bayelsa States were
not yet over at some levels.
Source: Punch
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