From Willie Etim, Yenagoa

REPENTANT militant leaders in Bayelsa State have threatened to take up arms again if the alleged plan to comb their camps to ascertain whether they surrendered all their weapons was carried out.

They argued that the move could ignite fresh crisis in the state and make nonsense of the entire amnesty programme of the Federal Government.

In a swift reaction, the state government has denied the allegations.

Led by General Monday, the disarmed warlords alleged preferential treatment for some of their colleagues in camps across the state by the Timipre Sylva administration.

According to Monday, the discriminatory policy was causing division among the leadership of the former militant leaders in the state. He, therefore, called for the intervention of the Federal Government to put the post-amnesty programme on course.

In an interview in Yenagoa yesterday, Monday flanked by his colleagues, claimed that some selected former militant leaders were being accommodated in the Government House.

He added that while the government made adequate provision for some former militant leaders in term of logistics, others were abandoned to their fate.

Monday said: "All the 43 camps in the state are formidable. All of us served in the creeks and accepted to embrace the amnesty of the Federal Government to fast-track development in the region as well as proffering lasting solutions to the crisis in the region.

"It is sad that while some militant leaders are being treated as kings, others are being abandoned."

He accused the government-backed leaders as orchestrating the move to screen the camps not only in the state but also in the entire region, warning that if the government embraced the idea, the result might not be palatable.

Monday commended President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua for initiating the amnesty deal, saying that he would be remembered for the return of lasting peace in the region.

According to him, the payment of monthly stipends as promised by the President had been paid promptly while other post-amnesty programmes were on course.

His claims were supported by "Generals" like Highest in Apoi-Creek Camp, Patrick (Freedom Fighter), Godgift (Kurubou), Aduma (Kirifon), Daniel (Soku Camp), Obekuma (Juju Point), Frank (Lion Camp) and Agadagba. They threatened to resume hostility if the injustice was not addressed by the government.

Denying all the allegations through the Director-General of the Due Process Bureau, Mr. Von Kemedi Demiari, the state government said it was not aware of any plan to "screen" the camps for weapons.

He also said there was no disparity in the attention being given to any particular former militant.

"All of them are given equal treatment," he said.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/news/article03/indexn2_html?pdate=231009&ptitle=Ex-militants%20oppose%20alleged%20move%20to%20comb%20camps%20for%20weapons

lol, so if they are not allowed to comb camps for weapons, how do we know they are not hiding some somewhere?

proudly9ja:

lol, so if they are not allowed to comb camps for weapons, how do we know they are not hiding some somewhere?

So u thut they handed over 'everything'? When fighting a satan you use long spoon. Thus, when accepting greek gift like the amnesty from our satanic federal govt you hand over only outdated weapons. Was Yaruda thinking that he "guyed" all of us?

Pls he can think again!!

This is a timing bomb that will explode any time and when it does, heads will roll.

militants keeping some weapons back because they must have such
in case the deal with government breaks down. thats not too hard to understand.

Fhemmmy:

This is a timing bomb that will explode any time and when it does, heads will roll.

No doubt. They would go back to the creeks eventually. Indeed, heads will roll!

@chosen04

our federal government really has some satanic elements.

otokx:

@chosen04

our federal government really has some satanic elements.

@Otokx

Yeap, You are not far with the ACTUAL truth

Do you think the Militants are fools? The thing is that once any human being in this Nigeria enters  any of the governemnt houses in this country.He gets infected with the dreaded governmetisis syndrome- a disease whose major symtoms include neglect for fellow citizens and corruption.The whole amnesty thing is a hoax.The government is looking for a peaceful opportunity to continue the unrepentant looting of our Treasury.They told us that the reduction of crude oil production from over 2million barrels to below 1.2million no thanks to the militants acts in recent times is what is stalling the devcelopment of Nigeria.Big lie! Do this people think that we are fools.Even if we produce 10million barrels a day,nothing will change.Havent we been producing oil since we found it in Oloibiri.What can we show for it.Unrepentant IBB refusing to explain what happened to $12B oil windfall. It is just that Nigerians are long-suffering by Nature.What will change this nation is the emergence of a leader who is ready to steer the wheel of state in the right direction.Yardua at first seem to be the Moses we were waiting for.But he has proved otherwise.That leader we need will come soon either by violence or non-violence.


I loathe discussing anything Nigeria governement because it hurts me.but I cant do otherwise.I can go on and on but let me get back to work.abeg.

why wouldn't the camps be combed? are some citizens allowed to possess arms while others are prohibited to do same.since they have decided to accept the amnesty then they are no more criminals thus, should be treated like any other law abiding citizens.unless they still see themselves as criminals, then they should still keep some arms which violates the amnesty.

Arms or no arms.The government should take Nigeria seriously and militancy will automatically stop.If want to steer the bees nest they should go on and recieve the repercussion.I use to livein PH.The militants dont target ordinary Nigerias.MEND is on 100% alert I assure them.If they have developed these country and there are basic amenities,there would have been nobody today to disarm.to hell with all of them.

proudly9ja:

lol, so if they are not allowed to comb camps for weapons, how do we know they are not hiding some somewhere?

So U want the FG to come and take the back-up dynamite that they have kept incase anything goes wrong with the amnesty deal.
Like Jomo Gbomo said, "Think of what a single dynamite can cause to a single wellhead, then imagine having like twenty of those".

Combing the camps may not entirely be a bad idea but on a second thought, I don't remember anybody ever being blamed for "saving for the rainy days." Thats exactly what the ex-gunmen are doing. Just consider whatever they stashed away as INSURANCE!

im new in nigeria whats mend
and wats goin on in nigeria~

Any Freedom Fighter that succumbed to the Tricks of Nigeria Government and hands his/her weapons to them should count him/herself a dead person, You have given yourself freely up to them for Execution. Information coming , Nigeria Government are planning secretly now to start eliminating defenceless freedom Fighters. So please don't make that mistake of handing your weapons to them, except if you want them to kill you. In PH now some that handed their weapons are missing probably kidnapped by Government of Nigeria and Executed

Insurance , more like.

WilyWily:

Any Freedom Fighter that succumbed to the Tricks of Nigeria Government and hands his/her weapons to them should count him/herself a dead person, You have given yourself freely up to them for Execution. Information coming , Nigeria Government are planning secretly now to start eliminating defenceless freedom Fighters. So please don't make that mistake of handing your weapons to them, except if you want them to kill you. In PH now some that handed their weapons are missing probably kidnapped by Government of Nigeria and Executed

i think you are worm, that has no idea what freedom fighter stands for?
I am sure you one of the kidnappers at the shore and now you are sad that people wanna see the nation works and allow peace to reign.
Why all the anger in you, i think you need to be asking your state govt question if you are so angry and not liter the whole place with your sadness

There's nothing like militancy again since these guys chose to lay down their arms.,it is now illegal for them to have arms in their possessions.,so they should not keep arms somewhere or deny the govt from searching their hideouts,,afteral they are peacefully enjoying their illegal wealth,so what again?
end of discussion.

It means that there is no sincerity on the disarmment period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@OP, I smell a dead rat in the amnesty deal . . . why are the militants afraid of they camps been combed?

If I were to be a militant, do you think I will lay down all my weapon because some corrupt government pat me on the head and promise me some candy, think again!, This is a game being played by a corrupt Goverment and its disgrunted citizen, the Government made their move and promise amnesty and the militant made their move and drop some weapons, and you think its game over, c'mon, even thinking about this gives me headache, am still waiting for the government to make their move, and the wrong move could set things on fire and we are back to square one

niteduff:

If I were to be a militant, do you think I will lay down all my weapon because some corrupt government pat me on the head and promise me some candy, think again!, This is a game being played by a corrupt Goverment and its disgrunted citizen, the Government made their move and promise amnesty and the militant made their move and drop some weapons, and you think its game over, c'mon, even thinking about this gives me headache, am still waiting for the government to make their move, and the wrong move could set things on fire and we are back to square one

Nuff said