Rivers Re-run: Amnesty Office Warns Beneficiary Against Violence

According to a press statement made available to this medium by on Thursday, the office stated that any beneficiary caught inciting violence “will be exited from the Programme” and will not receive any stipend from the Federal Government.

The statement further explained that those involved in instigating violence the Niger Delta region portends danger to the electoral system in the country, which gravely undermines the peace building efforts of the Federal Government in region.

The statement reads in part: “The Amnesty Office specifically advises youths and ex-agitators not to allow themselves to be used as cannon fodders in the spiraling violence in the state.

“The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig General Paul Boroh (Rtd) warns beneficiaries of the Amnesty programme to steer clear of violence in the region.

“He emphasizes that any beneficiary of the Amnesty Programme who is involved in any violent action should know that he would be violating the oath he took to end violence which earned him the Presidential Amnesty.

“As such, he warns that any beneficiary involved in violence, will be exited from the Programme, his monthly stipend stopped and will also be prosecuted.

“The Amnesty Coordinator impresses on all the ex-agitators leaders to exercise control over the beneficiaries under their leadership and warns that where a leader is found to be complicit in violence, apart from him, his camp will in addition, face sanctions.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is still undecided about a specific date for the long-awaited rerun polls, which were first aborted on 19th of March, however the Senate last week gave the commission December 10 deadline to conduct the pending National Assembly elections in the state.