FG has no plans to enrol more militants into amnesty programme, says Aide

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Brig.- Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd), has said that the Federal Government had no plans to enrol more militants into the Amnesty Programme.

Boroh, who is also the Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, made this known when stakeholders of the programme visited him yesterday in Abuja. He explained that his mandate was to reintegrate 30,000 ex-agitators captured in the Amnesty Programme, stressing that he could not go beyond that limit.

He, however, said that the number was already bloated because communities affected during the conflicts were being taken care of by government. He added that some members of the communities had been enlisted in skills acquisition and training programmes.

According to him, the Federal Government has commenced dialogue with the Niger Delta Avengers through the Dialogue Committee. This, he said, was with a view to halting the lingering hostility and bombing of oil facilities in the region. He charged the stakeholders to think of ways of creating jobs for those living in the region and how to develop the country.

He stressed that though the Amnesty Programme had been a great success, it was better to work than to think of a programme that would give stipend every month.