By Emeka Okafor
No fewer than 90 former agitators under the now defunct Bakassi Freedom Fighters (BFF) in Cross River State and fully registered into the Presidential Amnesty (PAP) have demanded to be reinstated into the programme in the interest of peace in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
The ex-agitators also demanded for the immediate payment of all entitlements due them after it was abruptly stopped by previous management of the Amnesty Office without explanation to beneficiaries.
The former agitators also resolved to embark on ‘mother of all protests’ on the streets of Calabar on December 11, 2023 to draw the attention of President Bola Tinubu on the plight of ex-agitators from Cross River State.
They appealed to the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj Gen Barry Ndiomu (Rtd), to resolve the issues and release all outstanding payments and entitlements to their members without further delay.
The demands were contained in a communique issued on Friday at the end of an emergency meeting of ex-agitators from Bakassi Freedom Fighters (BFF) Camp held in Calabar, Cross River State capital, Thursday November 30th, 2023.
The communique signed by Comrade Asuquo Okokon, Comrd. Offiong Lawrence and Comrd. Otutu Elias on behalf of the leadership of Phase Two of the Presidential Amnesty Amnesty.
According to him, “We the Ex- Agitators under Bakassi Freedom Fighters Camp in the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Phase Two met and Resolved as follows.
“That we accepted the Federal Government’s Amnesty offer, Disarmed and Registered for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration package of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Phase Two alongside our Ex- Leaders including “Gen” Franklyn Duduku.
“That the over Ninety (90) of our affected members are part of the authentic Ex- agitators captured in the Presidential Amnesty Programme Data Base who went through all the stages of the programme, including camping in NYSC camp, Obubra in Cross River State and Lagos in December, 2011, where we completed the Demobilization Programme with Training on Conflict Resolution, Biometric capturing and opening of Amnesty Bank Accounts for payment of monthly stipends of Sixty Six Thousand Five Hundred (N66,500) and other sundry payments.
“That, it took the Amnesty office almost three months to reconcile the list of beneficiaries across all camps, so the January, 2012 stipend of Sixty Six Thousand Five Hundred Naira (N66, 500) was paid in March, 2012 to some of us through our respective bank accounts.
“That further payment of our monthly stipends and skill acquisition placement were subverted and compromised by the Amnesty office through various fronts since January, 2012 till date: a situation that led to the shot down of activities at the Magaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar in October, 2013.
“That we have made several efforts to have our payment restored by the various Administrators of the Programme , but all to “No Avail “. It is now obvious that Top – notchers in the Amnesty office are the Protagonist of the fraud against us, not withstanding the overwhelming evidence in our possession asserting the contrary.
“That, for avoidance of doubt, we are peace loving people and law – abiding Citizens and have resisted the invitation for Self-help which the acts of these culprits portend for too long.
“That to further press down our demand, we have RESOLVED to call out the over Ninety (90) of our affected members and other well-wishers for A PROTEST IN CALABAR on the 11th, December, 2023, to ensure that the Interim Administrator, Maj Gen Barry Tariye Ndiomu Rtd resolve this issues, reinstate all our outstanding payments and backlog without further delay.”
