51 Ex-militants get amnesty, N2m each from Nwifuru
22 March 2025 |
2:32 am
The Ebonyi State government has granted amnesty to 51 repented ex-militants from Ekoli Edda in Ivo Local Council of the state after rehabilitating them. The government also gave N2 million each to the ex-militants to enable them integrate very well in the society.
The Ebonyi State government has granted amnesty to 51 repented ex-militants from Ekoli Edda in Ivo Local Council of the state after rehabilitating them. The government also gave N2 million each to the ex-militants to enable them integrate very well in the society.
The Guardian gathered that the repented ex-militants were former members of the Ekoli Vigilante Group, who were involved a series of crisis that occurred between the Ekoli Edda community and their Egbor/Urugbam neighbours of Cross River State in which many lives were lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
It was further gathered that the six months rehabilitation programme where they were trained in various skills was done in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and some relevant stakeholders.
While granting the ex-militants amnesty at the 134 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Ezillo Barracks, Governor Francis Nwifuru noted that in the face of the crisis, the state government took decisive steps to restore peace, adding that the granting of amnesty was necessitated by the demonstration of willingness by the Ekoli Edda vigilante members to lay down their arms and embrace peace.
According to him, “the voluntary surrender of eight mortar bombs, 29 AK-47 rifles and 21 pump-action guns was a powerful act of faith in the possibility of a better future,” he said.
The governor traced the root of the crisis to the Eastern Region Estate Investment (EREI) Farm Settlement, a project that was meant to be a symbol of unity and prosperity established by the visionary leadership of Dr. Michael Okpara.
He said that over time, inconsistencies in agricultural policies, mismanagement, and the fragmentation of the settlement across Abia, Ebonyi, and Cross River States sowed seeds of discord.
Nwifuru stated that the conflict escalated when the Egbor people of Biase Local Council of Cross River allegedly leased the NIFOR plantation, which largely belongs to the Ekoli Edda community without proper consultation. He emphasised that the disarmament programme initiated by the Nigerian Army in partnership with the Ebonyi State government marked a historic turning point.
“We are here to grant amnesty to 51 of our brothers, our sons, fathers, and uncles who were caught in the web of a conflict that has caused pain, loss, and division among our people.
“Today is a moment of redemption, renewal and hope; we gather not just as a government, but as a family united by a shared vision of peace, progress, and prosperity,” Nwifuru noted.
5 mins ago
Sudan's military said Saturday it seized several key buildings in central Khartoum, including the central bank, from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, following its recapture of the presidential palace. "Our forces achieved further success last night, eliminating hundreds of militia members who tried to escape through pockets in central Khartoum," army spokesman Nabil Abdallah said…
9 mins ago
Japan, South Korea and China agreed Saturday that peace on the Korean peninsula was a shared responsibility, Seoul's foreign minister said, in a meeting of the three countries' top diplomats in which they pledged to promote cooperation. The talks followed a rare trilateral summit in May in Seoul where the neighbours -- riven by historical…
22 mins ago
Thailand has said it is "disappointed" by the return to hostilities in Gaza and called for the release of hostages, including a Thai national. Israel on Tuesday began a fresh assault on the war-battered enclave, shattering the relative calm since a January 19 ceasefire. The strikes, by far the deadliest since the truce took effect…
4 hours ago
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) team led by its Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, recently visited the headquarters of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), in Abuja.
4 hours ago
The Federal Government has been dragged before the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Court), sitting in Abuja, over the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
5 hours ago
Senator representing Lagos West District, Dr. Idiat Adebule, has distributed 600 bags of rice to Muslim clerics and other groups across the district. Adebule said the distribution was in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
5 hours ago
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has stressed the need for universities and all higher institutions of learning in Nigeria to make a tangible impact on the citizenry.
5 hours ago
Human suffering caused by malnutrition has remained a challenge in many communities. To tackle this, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) are strengthening partnership.
5 hours ago
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, pledged to introduce more vocational training programmes as well as enhance digital literacy initiatives in the state by ensuring that every school has access to modern technology and resources.
6 hours ago
The Founder and President of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, has written an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In the letter he personally signed, dated March 10, 2025, Akinboboye expressed appreciation to the president for the impetus
×
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.