The factional President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, Elvis Donkemezuo, has applauded the Amnesty Office under the leadership of Gen. Paul Boroh, over the initiative to train ex-militants under the amnesty program at the BioResource Development Center in Odi, Bayelsa state.

The amnesty office in partnership with the ministry of Agriculture and the National BioResource Development Center in Odi has concluded arrangements to train ex-militants on food security and wealth creation.

The IYC president said the initiative was a laudable project and a right step in the right direction. While assuring the amnesty office of IYC leadership support, Donkemezuo, enumerated some of the benefits the training will bring to the ex-militants especially as the country seeks ways to end food insecurity.

On a visit to the facility earlier this year, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu, had expressed optimism that the centre would be a catalyst to development of the Niger Delta region as it had capacity for quick technology transfer to rural dwellers and peasant farmers to increase agricultural yields.

In a related development, elders from Bayelsa state, the home state of Gen. Paul Boroh, has cautioned politicians in the state not to disrupt the amnesty programs with their smear campaign against their own sons.

The elders from the eight local government of the state described as “desperate” and “pathetic” the attempts by some politicians in the region ‎to smear the image of the amnesty boss.

In a statement signed by Chief Ayibatonye Goodnews, on behalf of the elders, said though every Nigerian has the right to constructively assess the working of government and its officials, the barrage of sponsored media attacks and smear campaigns against the Amnesty office and the chairman was shameful and should stop henceforth.