Against report making round the nation that the federal government under the leadership of President Mohammadu Buhari has stopped the amnesty programme introduced by Late Alhaji Musa Yar’adua administration, the coordinator of the amnesty programme Brigadia Gen. Paul Tarella Boroh has debunked the insinuation.
Brigadia Gen. Boro also described as baseless, the allegation that “stakeholders in the Niger Delta amnesty were paid huge amount of money by top political to influence the governorship election.
Boroh denied the allegations while in a chat with journalists during the verification and payment exercise of the Niger Delta ex-militants in Port Harcourt.
Brigadia Gen. Boro who is also the special Adviser to president Mohmmadu Buhari on Niger Delta affairs noted that the reason for that the reason for the sustenance of the amnesty programme by the present administration was to ensure to peace in the Niger Delta region as well ad enable the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC and the Niger Delta Ministry do their work effectively, empower the people of the area and ensure rapid development across the Niger Deltan states which would go a long way in reducing crime in the region.
He disclosed that the payment of the ex-militants which was usually made through banks was now paid directly to them because to pay them after the facilities were being attached and destroyed by the same ex-militants.
According to him “I am not aware that a major stakeholder in the amnesty programme was paid a huge amount of money by a governorship aspirant, but what I do know is that this exercise became necessary when bans refused to pay those captured in the amnesty programme.
He further disclosed that the number ex-militants captured in the amnesty programme were thirty thousand assuring that the exercise will continue they harmonize with the bank.
Boro noted that the amnesty progamme has sustained peace in the region added that they are in partnership with other stakeholders to move the programme on.
In a chat with journalists, High Chief Sara Igwe the mafia messenger described Brigadia Gen. Paul Boro as another Late Isaac Adaka Boro who came to deliver the people of Niger Delta from bandage.
He noted that the era of agitation were over adding that what we need now is empowerment and expressed optimism that the coordinator of the amnesty programme will put smiles on the people of Niger Delta.
He advice the people of Niger Delta especially the ex-militants support him by sustaining peace in the region to attract development in the area.
Similarly, Gen. Akiki one of the Niger Delta agitator recalled that the last administration under former president Goodluck Jonathan marginalized the people of Niger Delta region expressing optimizing that the Gen. Boro lead coordinator of the amnesty programme will rise hope for the people of the ex-militants and entire people of the region. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
