By Abel Johngold Orheruata
ONDO/Nigeria: Delta State Acting Governor, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro has said that, there is no thick dividing line separating water boundaries across the States in the Niger Delta region.
Barr. Otuaro, who stated this on Thursday, 9th November, 2017, at the International Centre for Culture and Events, Ondo State, during the proclamation of Amnesty for Armed Youths in the Niger Delta areas of Ondo State, disclosed that the Delta state government borne the frontier of the release of the kidnapped six pupils of Igbonla Model College, Epe, Lagos State, owing to the fact that, insecurity in any States of the Niger Delta, is insecurity to all.
The state acting governor, while commending the governor of Ondo State and the Ondo state government Committee on State Amnesty Initiative for the programme, called for the collaboration of stakeholders to deal with insecurity in the country and various States.
According to him, no meaningful development can take place in any government and State where there is insecurity and breach of peace.
Barr. Otuaro, appealed to traditional rulers in Ondo State, to be actively involved in the amnesty activities, noting that, as custodians of the custom and traditions of the people, the traditional rulers owe it as a responsibility in ensuring that there is peace and harmony in their domain.
He advised the participants of the amnesty programme to use the opportunity in surrendering their arms and avail themselves the opportunity of being empowered, employed, and trained to become self-reliant and useful to the society.
The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Akeredolu, SAN, while declaring open the amnesty activities, issued a 21 day ultimatum to the armed youths to lay down their arms and be enrolled in the programme.
Governor Akeredolu, who appealed to youths to take advantage of programme, named Egbekabor, Arobo, Ebola, Ogbokoda and Ajakpa all in Ondo state as the 5 collection centres for laid down arms by the youths.
Governor Akeredolu, commended the Delta State acting governor and the state government for championing the frontier of peace and security in the Niger Delta region, especially, his active participation in ensuring the release of the six pupils of Igbonla Model College, Epe, Lagos State.
The governor who assured the Armed youths that no security operatives will harrass or arrest them in the course of laying down their arms, advised the Armed youths not to allow themselves to be used as agents of destruction by mischief makers in the state and the country at large.
He noted that, the cardinal point of the amnesty activities was for the Armed youths to surrender their arms, and be empowered, employed and trained to be useful to the society and be self reliant.
The Special Adviser to the President On Niger Delta, and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. Gen. Paul Boro, (Rtd), who was represented by Major Adomati (Rtd), said, it is the responsibility of the Federal government to provide security for its citizens through the establishment of strong institutions.
He noted that, conflicts are bound to arise, but it is the responsibility of security agencies to prevent complete breakdown of law and order.
Gen. Boro, while appealing to state governors to ensure that there is peace and security in their state, urged the armed youths to take advantage of the amnesty extension by laying down their arms and be made useful to the society.
Earlier, in a welcome address, the Chairman of the Ondo Amnesty Committee And Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi, noted that, the unfortunate Ilaje/ijaw crisis of the late 90s created a situation of arms flow into the area.
According to him, though the government of the day in conjunction with community leaders of both sides succeeded in ending the crisis between two brothers, the level of arms flow could not be controlled.
Hon. Alfred Agboola Ajayi, said, activities of the armed youths in the last few years that has hampered harmony, peaceful coexistence as well as a friendly business environment, occasioned the extension of Amnesty programme by the federal government in collaboration with state government.
He said, the widening of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme through the efforts of the governor should therefore be seen as an ample opportunity that youths of Ilaje and Ese-Odo must maximise to their advantage.
According to him; “Accepting this Amnesty offer in good faith therefore means that our riverine communities will experience economic boom and commercial posterity. This is more so that in a matter of months, oil drilling activities are likely to commence in the Mahin and Ese-Odo areas of the riverine part of the State”. He stated.
