Militants lay down arms in Imo

It was as dramatic as it was momentous. Immediately it was confirmed that militants had surrendered their weapons, pledging to be of good behaviour, the residents started celebrating. Economic and social activities began to pick up in the hitherto deserted oil-producing communities. Traditional rulers who fled their thrones in the height of the militancy came back. Ohaji-Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas of Imo State had found peace again after two and a half years in the grips of militants.The agitators and other cult groups in the state renounced militancy and surrendered their weapons to the state government and were pardoned.No fewer than 300 were killed while properties millions of naira were destroyed during the crisis. At Awara, the epicentre of the militancy and cult activities in Ohaji-Egbema council, the scars of those years of horror are still fresh. Bullet-ridden and skeletal remains of razed buildings that were once the beauty of the serene community are still standing.But thank God for the state governor Rochas Okorocha, who initiated the disarmament programme that saw the dreaded militants embracing peace and renouncing violence and all manner of criminalities.It was an emotional moment as the residents returned in droves to start rebuilding their ruined homes.The monarchs have written the state governor to convey their joy and gratitude that they were able to return to their kingdoms after wandering for more than two years.Among those who surrendered their arms and ammunition and renounced militancy was the Niger Delta Red Squad, the major militant group that has been responsible for the bombing of pipelines and other oil facilities in the state. Also embracing the state government amnesty programme were over 9,000 militants belonging to other armed groups which also handed over their automatic weapons including AK 47 Riffles, Rocket Launchers, Pump Action Guns of different sizes and large quantity of explosives.They were consequently granted pardon by the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, who presided over the disarmament exercise under the watch of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu and the Commander of the 34 Artillery Brigade, Brigadier General KAY Isiyaku and other security Chiefs.Presenting the militants to the governor at the Government House Chapel, the chairman of the State Disarmament Committee Mr. Kingsley Uju, an engineer, said that it took the committee over four months concerted efforts to get the agitators to renounce militancy and embracethe state government amnesty programme.He noted that from their interactions with the militants at their various camps in the creeks, the major reasons they gave for taking up arms after the Federal Government Amnesty Programme of 2008 was their exclusion from the resultant empowerment programme and theunderdevelopment of the region.He said, “These people you see here gathered are from Oguta and Ohaji-Egbema Council Area of the state. Your Excellency, on assumption of duty, the committee met with the militants and in the course of our deliberations with them we were able to find out that the oil companies that have been operating in their land since 1953 have done nothing to develop the communities.“It was on this note that we appealed to them to renounce militancy and embrace peace as the only way the development they are yearning for will come to them. Today these ones are yearning to be reintegrated back to the society. They have decided that they are tired of sleeping in the bush and carrying guns. This is why we are presenting these leagues of agitators today for state pardon, having lost a lot to militancy. We are appealing that the state will therefore extend pardon to these ones and save them and their families by recommending to the Federal Government to grant them full amnesty”.While publicly renouncing their membership of all militant and cult groups, the armed militants said they were forced to resort to armed struggle as a result of marginalisation by oil companies operating in the communities.They also expressed their anger over their exclusion from the training opportunities and empowerment offered to other militants from other Niger Delta States by the Federal Government, adding that they felt used and abandoned after they were lured to surrender their arms in 2011.They said, “We are happy to announce today that we will no longer destroy pipelines or kill anyone. We have embraced the amnesty programme of the state government. We want to be empowered and we will help to guide the pipelines. We are happy that we have been forgiven of our crimes and we want to be reintegrated back to the society”.Speaking further on behalf of the militants, one of the Commanders, General Bobo Uzo Ndem, aka Cross and Die, and Commander Amonon Uzoma alias Motor-Boy, admitted that they had been responsible for all the killings, and blowing of oil pipelines in the Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Oil producing areas of the state, stating that their areas have been abandoned by oil companies operating in the area and were not carried along in the Amnesty programme of the federal government.They assured that they won’t fight again but would rather help to ensure peace in the areas, and also asked that attention should be given to their areas while the contract for the surveillance of the oil pipelines in the areas should be given to them, thanking the governor for his initiative which has brought them out from the bush where they had been fighting.The State Governor, charged the repentant militants to go back as responsible members of the society and contribute to the development of their state.He assured them that all their grievances will be articulated and forwarded to the appropriate quarters for prompt attention, “those of you who are involved with militancy or in agitation, or those of you who have killed many innocent souls, today, I speak as the governor of Imo State to grant you pardon, SIN NO MORE, come back to the society and be part of the society and contribute to the development of our state.  I hereby declare as the Governor of Imo state that you are hereby pardoned”.Okorocha stated further that, “the state Government will take every necessary step to meet your needs and make life better for you. For that reason, I hereby request that the army from today henceforth, no more shooting in Oguta and Ohaji Egbema. Your presence there will be for peace.  I hereby declare as Governor of the state, no more shooting, no more firing, you will only be there to maintain peace and order and to you no more violence”.“After all the killings, arson, blowing of pipelines, today peace has returned in Ohaji Egbema”. The amnesty programme will be declared by the President, I will convey all your request and concerns to President Muhammadu Buhari for immediate action, he is aware you are coming here today and has promised to do the needful.  He has sent the Chief of Naval Staff who will soon arrive to see for himself. “The Federal Government is aware of what you are doing, we know that our sons and daughters are not violent people, situation and circumstances must have led you to this.  From now henceforth I believe you will keep your promises of dropping arms and been peaceful people”.“I assure you again that the government will meet your needs, all your issues of request we shall meet them, but please it will not be an issue of today or tomorrow, it will take a short time to meet your long agitations such as light, road and hospital, we shall call on all the oil companies immediately to meet the committee which will be set up by government to discuss about the welfare of the people of the Niger Delta”.He also stressed that, “we are aware that some of the leaders are taking advantage of this situation, and taking the money from behind and making you kill yourselves, now that government is involved you shall never see that again. So a new committee known as the Amnesty Committee by the President comes in which will be headed by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Army and Police will be members and equally the Priests and Pastors from the areas”.