Ex-MEND leaders back Boroh’s probe of amnesty programme

TOP leaders of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) yesterday stated their support for the ongoing probe and verification exercise being conducted by Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Implementation Committee, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, into the number of ex-militants who benefitted from the Federal Government’s amnesty programme.

The former leaders of MEND led by Wilson Reuben (General Pastor Reuben) said despite concern raised over the verification exercise, the probe will help sanitize and strengthen the programme and solve issues of inclusion of those purportedly disarmed under the third phase of the programme.

The ex-militants under the aegis of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI) expressed satisfaction over the ongoing probe and verification exercise initiated by Boroh.

According to them, “the exercise will determine genuine beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), particularly those who formed the third phase of the programme.” “We wish to let Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh know that he has our full backing on this bold initiative and he should not be deterred in his mandate of implementing the PAP to its letter.

“We urge him to consult the leadership of ex-agitators for input by having a meeting with Ebikabowei Victor-Ben aka General Boyloaf and others on how best to handle the impasse caused as result of the delay in the payment of stipends and allowances among other lingering issues being faced by those in foreign institutions.

“We also want him to look into the issue of N65,000 being received by the leaders because the amount is too small compared to the burden they have to shoulder from their followers. We thank President Muhammadu Buhari for keeping to his promise of running the amnesty programme with a credible character like Paul Boroh.”