MILITANTS SURRENDER IN PORT HARCOUT

Militants Surrender in Port Harcourt

Amnesty Day 1
As the Federal government amnesty for militants in the Niger Delta got off to a good start yesterday, the police, acting on a tip-off, recovered 26 brand new AK 47 rifles and other arms and ammunition allegedly imported by Mujahid Dokubo Asari.
The informant, Prince Wisdom Amachree, had claimed that he was Asari’s ally.Six militants, in their mid twenties, brought their weapons to the state Police Headquarters at about 2 p.m. yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The militants are Asi Loolo, Great Nelson, Bigi Nne, Rago Mina, Denis and Menaya Chinyere, all based at Opoko in Khana Local Government area of the state. The weapons deposited at the centre are two AK-47 rifles, one pump action rifle, one G3 rifle and a locally made pistol.
The weapons were received by Mr Azubuko Udah, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of zone six, Calabar.
Udah, who told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was a sign of good things to come, commended the militants for coming out to surrender their weapons.“We hope their decision today will motivate others, still in doubt, to come out and surrender their weapons,’’ he said.
Mr Joshak Habila, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Rivers Police Command, said the militants had chosen to go to Kaa collection centre, in Khana Local Government for documentation.“They are the first group to come out on their own and surrender their weapons as the amnesty offer commenced today.“We believe they have embraced the Federal Government’s amnesty offer and we will work with them to ensure that others surrendered their weapons,’’ he said.Asari, the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), is believed to have repented and has embraced peace.
Amachree had informed the police that Asari imported about 4,000 AK 47 rifles with other assorted weapons with the aim of fighting in collaboration with some sections of the country to divide the country into two.
In Bayelsa State, militants operating along the creeks of the Niger Delta shunned the amnesty offer as none of them showed up to return their arms at the Sagbama and Nembe centres.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Committee on Amnesty was engaged in a crucial meeting yesterday with another militant leader, Ateke Tom, on the amnesty.
It was gathered that Ateke may embrace the offer anytime from now. Amachree claimed that he renounced his membership of the NDPVF when former President Olusegun Obasanjo granted them amnesty but said Asari took him into confidence and showed him the armoury.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has described the formal take off of amnesty programme as the beginning of peace, development and freedom in the region and the country at large.
The state’s deputy governor, Professor Amos Utuama, made the observation in Asaba while receiving the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 5, Mr. Julian Okpalaeke, at the Government House, Asaba.
Utuama, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), noted: “Today marks the take off of the amnesty in the nation, which in turn marks an era of peace, freedom and development for the whole of the Niger Delta in particular and the whole of Nigeria in general and indeed the world at large.
“The resources from the Niger Delta are resources that advance the course of humanity not only in the South-south, not only in Nigeria but the world at large. So peace and development in the Niger Delta is peace and development in the whole world.”He stressed that the amnesty has “come to cure” the unrest and violence that had characterized the region, noting however that Delta State, although among states in the region, had been peaceful.

Culled from THISDAYonline through the following reporters;
Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt, Segun James in Yenagoa and Victor Efeizomor in Asaba with agency report, 08.07.2009

Put together by Anuoluwapo Ajagbe