Niger Delta ex-agitators postpone Peace Day celebration

The Boyloaf Foundation and Congress of Niger Delta Ex-agitators have shifted the Peace Day celebration to the November 17th World Tolerance Day.

The organiser of the event, Seleipre Tonbie, said the postponement of this year’s celebration was necessary to include more stakeholders, who had indicated their interest in being part of it.

The Niger Delta Peace Day was founded to coincide with the International Peace Day to commemorate the acceptance of amnesty by ex-militants and surrendering of their arms and ammunition that brought peace to the region.

Tonbie said the ex-agitators chose November 17th as a new date since it coincided with World Tolerance Day, another United Nations event that relates to peace advancement.

He said this year’s Niger Delta Peace Day event is supported by the Bayelsa State Government, the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), and called on other corporate organisations and multinationals operating in the region to key into it.

He said: “This is intended to create a platform for engaging diverse stakeholders in the region as well as cultivating a culture of peace. It is designed to further emphasize the need to sustain the peace in the region.

“Besides, this year’s programme will identify the emerging threats to peace in the region and strategies required to nip them in the bud before they loom large.

“It will be holistic as it will discourage any attempt by disgruntled people to take up arms against the state. It will also address issues of cultism and anti-social activities among the youths.”