Ex-militants from Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas of Ondo State have staged a protest to express their displeasure over continued exclusion from the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programme, threaning to attack the central government’s public facilities in the state.
The aggrieved former agitators, who took to the streets to make their grievances public, stated that the government has reneged on the promises made in 2017.
The protesters, drawn from camps such as United Sea-wolf Avengers, Awaja Camp, Forest Soldiers, Big-Fish Camp, Ogoloto Camp, Niger Delta Vanguard Camp, Aluma Camp, Ofaran Camp, and others, lamented the failure of authorities to fulfill promises made to them during the disarmament process.
Speaking on behalf of the ex-militants, their leader, Deji Ehinmowo, appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and facilitate their inclusion in the amnesty programme without involving any intermediary.
“All we want is to be incorporated without any intermediary, either from the state government or any other group. We have submitted our arms and ammunition since 2017. Is this the reward for choosing peace?” Ehinmowo said.
He revealed that the groups surrendered a large cache of weapons, including a Fiat Revelli model gun, Colt automatic rifles, Sango Scorpion, dynamite explosives, bombs, grenades, and over 400 pump-action guns.
Despite this, Ehinmowo said their efforts to reach out to the government and security agencies through several letters have yielded no response.
Frustrated by the prolonged silence, the ex-militants threatened to take drastic action if the government continues to ignore their plight.
“We are using this medium to tell the federal government that we have made up our minds to take a drastic measure until the journey ends,” he warned.
Another group leader, Akintoye Olatunji, also pleaded for urgent federal intervention, saying: “We want the federal government to cooperate with us because there is fire on the mountain. The amnesty programme should not be delayed any further.”
The ex-militants called on President Tinubu to grant them a direct audience and ensure their inclusion in the amnesty programme as promised.
