TheNewsGuru

Tag: Amnesty

  • Presidential Amnesty Programme still on course – Boroh

    Retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), says the amnesty office is determined to actualise its mandate of empowering youths in the Niger Delta region.

    Boroh, also the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Abuja.

    He said that money appropriated for the programme is usually channelled towards payment of monthly stipends, funding of tertiary education for students under its scholarship among others.

    “PAP receives its funding from the National Budget as appropriated by the National Assembly.

    “All its disbursement whether for monthly stipends, school fees, in-training-allowances and payment of contractors or staff allowances are done through the Treasury Single Account (TSA), and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    “In specific case of the beneficiaries, they all have personal bank accounts to which all their entitlements are paid.

    “The bank verification number in the country ensures that no individual can have more than one number, which indicates that an individual should be not be able to collect another beneficiary’s allowance,” Boroh explained.

    He said that there had been increasing demands on the office, especially by youths in the region for employment, training and empowerment lately.

    Boroh said some of the youths applied for scholarship to study in tertiary institutions, and assured them that efforts were being made to ensure that their dreams of acquiring education were attained even abroad.

    The Coordinator added that some youths even demand for infrastructure development including provisions of roads, schools, health centres, and decent housing among others in their communities.

    He, however, said that it was not part of PAP’s mandate to provide such facilities as it had no appropriation for such.

    Boroh pointed out that the mandate of the office is to cater for the beneficiaries who took the Presidential Amnesty proclaimed by late President Musa Yar’Adua administration, to ensure their sustainable reintegration into the society for peace and stability in the region.

    He explained that the mandate given to the office was to cater for 30,000 ex-militants, who embraced the programme on or before Oct. 4, 2009 deadline for them to drop their arms.

    The Presidential aide, however, alleged that some politicians were colluding with youths in some Niger Delta states to stage protest demanding for payment of non-existing housing allowances to ex militants among others.

    “The payment of housing allowance to ex-militants, an entitlement paid at the inception of the programme as Transitional Safety Allowance, has not gotten any budgetary provision since I assumed office”, he said.

    The Coordinator said the activities of those youths and the many others claiming to be ex-militants were putting pressure on the office.

    Boroh said that the office had discovered that the youths who were not part of the amnesty programme were colluding with corrupt political agents working in the Niger Delta to claim that they were beneficiaries of the programme.

    “And worse still, their very unpatriotic actions give the amnesty programme bad publicity and expose it to unwarranted attacks; we have challenged the nation’s security agencies to help stem this ugly tide,” he said.

    The presidential adviser added that majority of those calling for his removal as Coordinator of the amnesty programme did not belong to any of the known defunct militant camps in the region.

     

  • Presidential Amnesty Programme a huge success – Official

    The Management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) said on Monday that the programme has succeeded in its primary mandate of ending the armed conflict in the Niger/Delta region.

    A statement signed in Abuja by Mr Owei Lakemfa, Head of Media PAP, described the Programme as a huge success.

    According to Lakemfa, some Nigerians have come to view the programme as a body that should rectify the age-long challenges of the Niger Delta Region and bring development to it.

    He said that PAP welcomed criticism and open to suggestions, adding that the Programme’s critics should assess based on its mandate and not what individuals or groups want it to do.

    Lakemfa said that as part of its verifiable successes, the programme ended the armed conflict in the region which was its primary mandate.

    He said the programme established a regular forum with the leaders (generals) of the beneficiaries, which has ensured effective interaction and communication leading to the peaceful resolution of issues .

    “To engaged the beneficiaries, youths, traditional leaders and representative organisations like the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) in continuous dialogue, which is partly responsible for the peace being experienced in the Region.

    “In concert with other government agencies and the people of the region, succeeded in halting the rash of oil facilities vandalism leading to uninterrupted oil production and the country’s oil earnings in 2017 rising to N7.3 Trillion , up from N5.68 Trillion in 2016,” he said.

    According to him, the Amnesty Programme despite the delayed in the release of funds, the monthly stipends of the beneficiaries were paid up to December 2017.

    He said their stipends were paid to ensure peace and stability in the region.

    The spokesman added that their January, 2018 stipend is being delayed due to the 2018 National Budget that is before the National Assembly and awaits appropriation.

    He, however, disclosed that the Amnesty Programme was up-to-date in the payment of Offshore and Onshore beneficiaries school fees in Europe, United States, Asia, Africa and in the country.

    According to him, the programme has contributed immensely to human capital development with 1,431 graduating under its scholarship scheme from 23 countries including 13 PhDs. and 10,600 from universities in the country.

    The head of media said the programme was accelerating the final Integration Stage by placing emphasis on the empowerment of beneficiaries, who have been trained so that they can establish their independent businesses.

    “Many beneficiaries are now proud farm owners (Owning rice and fish farms, poultry, piggery, snailery )and are employers of labour.

    He said that some youths had been mobilised to protest against the Presidential Amnesty Office based on misinformation and misconception.

    “The programme didn’t include the provision of housing or pension to beneficiaries so the claim that the Office has failed to fulfill this alleged promise, is baseless as no such agreement or policy was ever made.

    “The programme is neither responsible for the provision of infrastructure or development of the region.

    “ Its mandate is focused on human capacity development and to ensure a peaceful environment to allow for investment and the development work of other agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

    “The programme Is not a scholarship scheme nor a mass employment bureau, rather it is primarily to cater for the 30,000 beneficiaries and some youths from the impacted community, who took amnesty, and accepted to work for peace in the Niger Delta,” he said.

    Recall that the Coordinator of PAP, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh has denied the corruption allegations against him circulating in the social media.

    Boroh said that the allegations which was made against him in a petition entitled; “Cancer of Corruption’’ by the Niger Deltans for Accountability and Good Governance (NDAGG) was on false grounds.

    According to him, it is a common assertion that every coin has two sides, so does a story and so the case against him was not different.

     

  • Amnesty: ex-militants in Ondo urge President Buhari to intervene in crisis over slots allocation

    A coalition of militant groups in Ondo State has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the alleged discrimination in the allocation of amnesty slots in Ondo State.

    The coalition, in a statement by its leader, General Deji Ehinmowo, in Lagos on Sunday alleged that politicians had hijacked the amnesty programme in the state.

    Members of the coalition include the United Sea-wolf Avengers, the Awaja camp, Black Bush camp, Polugbene camp, Sehinde camp, Eti eremi-ofara camp, Kofawe camp, Nigboroko camp, Mafia camp, Beware of Trouble camp and Mafia Lotto camp.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ondo State Government and the Presidential Amnesty Committee, had on Nov. 9, 2017, enrolled some ex-militants in the state who submitted their arms.

    The state government gave the former militants 21-day grace period to submit their arms to the state Amnesty Committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.

    Members of the coalition protested at the premises of OSOPADEC on Jan. 25 in Akure over non-enrolment of its members in the Amnesty programme.

    “We, the above-named coalition of generals in just concluded Federal Government Amnesty Programme in Ondo State wish to let the whole world and Amnesty International know that amnesty slots are being shared among politicians in the state.

    “The military was supposed to determine those to be enrolled, not politicians who allocated the slots to their cronies.

    “We don’t believe in Ondo State Amnesty Committee again having lost confidence in the committee.

    “Having fulfilled our own part of agreement, the amnesty committee in the state used slots meant for us to empower their family members, cronies, political ward chairmen, ward women leaders, associates and girlfriends.,’’ the coalition said.

    It appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the crisis in the state amnesty committee on the sharing of amnesty slots in the state.

    “All we want is to be incorporated because we have already submitted our arms.

    “We want President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the indiscriminate sharing of slots by the Ondo State Amnesty Committee among their family members, political allies and friends.”

    The militants expressed belief in the pledge made by Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu during the Nov. 9 flag-off of the amnesty programme that the programme was to sustain the development of the living conditions of the riverine people.

    The coalition said it had exercised patience for more than 15 years in the oil producing community in the state to ensure lasting peace in the country.

    “All the generals, affected camps and individuals that submitted their arms and ammunition agreed that our constituency, Ondo State, and Nigeria at large, can hardly afford any major crisis in the Niger-Delta region at this period.

    “The government is not convinced of the justness of the cause for the emancipation of the people of Ilaje and Ese-Odo federal constituency who have suffered neglect for a long time.

    “The government didn’t share the anxiety of the people who perceived the plundering of our lands and waters as akin to genocide.

    “The government has forgotten that real development is impossible in a chaotic environment. Are we to be punished for embracing peace.”

    The coalition said that that individuals who could not cannot handle ordinary cutlass had suddenly become militants through the amnesty window slots.

    “They deceived us into laying down our arms and ammunition with the assurance to be incorporated into the programme remained unfulfilled.

    “One of the conditions for surrendering our arms and ammunition was the assurance given to us by the governor during the flag-off to be incorporated into the Federal Government Amnesty programme.

    “A lot of arms and ammunition such as Fiat Revelli Model gun, Colt Automatic rifle, Sango Scorpion, Dynamite Bitter explosives device, bomb, grenadge, severally AK47 rifles with serial number, military camp uniforms and some automatic cartridge, double barrel rifle, single barrel English and locally made were submitted.

    “We have also asked all the oil companies operating in the coastal communities in the state to vacate over the failure of the government to meet our demand in the amnesty programme.”

     

  • Magu offers amnesty to repentant looters, says ‘return loot, join us to fight corruption’

    Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu, on Wednesday said repentant looters were free to join the fight against corruption.

    “We are calling on every Nigerian to join us; you can even return loot, face consequences then join us to fight corruption,” Magu said, according to a statement from the commission.

    He reportedly spoke at a parley with members of labour unions, civil society organisations, and social media personalities at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.

    In the statement, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said the EFCC boss harped on the need for a united front in the anti-corruption crusade.

    “We have reached a level where nobody can stop us in the fight against corruption.

    “But we all must realise that we are all stakeholders, and this fight is for the future generation,” he said.

    Magu reiterated his belief that corruption is the major factor impeding the country’s development, and the root cause of every evil in the land.

    “The EFCC alone cannot fight and defeat corruption; the battle requires the support of everybody to be won.

    “All stakeholders must step up the battle; you are not doing it for yourself.

    “You are doing it for the future of the country and the future generation in order to bring back the change that we really crave for,” he said.

    The anti-corruption czar restated the commission’s resolve to intensify the anti-corruption campaign, urging the stakeholders to “maximise the political will being currently enjoyed under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “Let us do the right thing and insist on it because change begins with you and me.

    “From our households to our kids, places of work and beyond, by also living a life of integrity,” he stressed.

    Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) commended the EFCC leadership for its steadfastness in the fight against corruption.

    Wabba, however, noted that the efforts could only be successful if the relevant laws were fully implemented.

    “All Nigerians must play their roles, because EFCC can only do its best, but we must support the agency.

    “The law should also take its course, policies should be strengthened, and punishment must be meted out in good time,” he said.

    Dan Nwanyanwu, a lawyer and politician, used the opportunity to commend the EFCC, and stressed the importance of giving the anti-graft agency the necessary support.

    “Every right thinking Nigerian must support every effort being carried out by the EFCC to recover our stolen money and our patrimony,” he said.

    On his part, Mr Joe Abah, a former Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, also commended the EFCC for taking the gauntlet in the fight against corruption.

    “EFCC is a strong institution and it is the same institution that has produced credible leaders from inception,” he said.

  • Bill seeking amnesty for treasury looters unconstitutional – Falana

    Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has condemned a bill in the House of Representatives seeking amnesty for treasury looters.

    The bill seeks to allow those who loot public treasury to return about 70 per cent of the stolen funds in exchange for total amnesty from prosecution.

    The bill was sponsored by Linus Okorie (Peoples Democratic Party, Ebonyi).

    Falana described the bill as immoral, discriminatory and unconstitutional.

    “I want to assume that the sponsors of the bill are not aware that Nigeria has ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. The convention has imposed a duty on the Nigerian Government to fight corruption and not to legalise it,” Falana said.

    He added that the bill encourage other forms of Crimes like robbery and kidnapping.

    The senior advocate added that the bill was in contravention of sections 15, 42 and 45 of the 1999 Constitution.

    Falana added, “The bill is immoral, dangerous, discriminatory, illegal and unconstitutional. It is patently inconsistent with Section 15(5) of the constitution which has imposed a duty on the Nigerian state to abolish corrupt practices.

    “It is discriminatory as it is designed to shield looters of our commonwealth alone from prosecution contrary to the letter and spirit of Section 42 of the Constitution. It is dangerous as it is meant to legitimise official corruption and impunity in the country.

    “If the bill is signed into law, all criminals who have been convicted and jailed for fraud, stealing, kidnapping and armed robbery are automatically entitled to similar amnesty and pardon.”

  • Group drags Amnesty International to ICC for allegedly aiding Boko Haram Terrorism

    A Nigerian Human rights group, Save Humanity Advocacy Centre (SHAC) has dragged international human rights group, Amnesty International before the International Criminal Court (ICC), in the Hague, for alleged crimes against humanity relating to act od terrorism in Nigeria
    In a letter of petiton written by its legal representative, Associate Solicitor Elke Zipperer,
    SHAC wants the International Court to Prosecute Amnesty International for its role in the wanton destruction of lives and properties by Boko Haram Terrorists
    It accused AI of criminal conspiracy in aiding the insurgents to commit what they described as crimes against humanity.
    The petioners cited various ICC statute to back its claims, stressing that AI has flagrantly and repeatedly violated articles 5 (1) (b), 7 (1) (a), 7 (1) (b) and 7 (1) (f) of the Rome Statute and there warrant this Criminal Complaint which itself constitutes “a reasonable basis to proceed with an investigation” under Article 15 (3) of the Rome Statute.
    The solicitor said it is pettioning AI in line with paragraph 5 of the Preamble to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court which came into force on 1st July, 2002 (simply called the “Rome Statute”) that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole must not go unpunished.
    The petioners as represented by Elke Zipperer based their complaint on the belief that Amnesty International has been unjustifiably meddling with the security affairs of Nigeria as a sovereign nation.
    “Our client is aggrieved that the blatant blackmail and defamation of the Nigerian state by Amnesty International through its damning reports have stopped authorities of the United States of America from selling arms and ammunition to Nigeria for purposes of military protective duties. This goes to prove beyond every iota of doubt that the organization is working for terrorist merchants as it aims at dampening the morale of Nigerian military, thus boosting the enemy.
    “We submit that prima facie cases of aiding and abetting illicit killings by Boko Haram, blackmail and defamation have been established against Amnesty International vide this Criminal Complaint for which the International Criminal Court can investigate, prosecute and mete out appropriate sanctions” the petitioner stated.
    The petitioner requested that the ICC Prosecutor therefore opens an investigation of the Accused on her own accord under Article 15 (1) of the Rome Statute
    Other requests includes, “That the ICC Prosecutor also formally “submit to the Pre-Trial Chamber of the ICC a request for authorization of an investigation” of the Accused under Article 15 (3) of the Rome Statute;
    “That the ICC Prosecutor obtain International Arrest Warrants for the Accused from the ICC in accordance with Articles 58 (1) (a), 58 (1) (b) (i), 58 (1) (b) (ii) and 58 (1) (b) (iii) and proceed to arrest the Accused so they can face their trial.
    “That the ICC Prosecutor compels the Accused upon conviction to pay compensation to the Federal Government of Nigeria in the sum of $1,000,000,000 (One Billion US Dollars) as punitive damage for defamation.”

  • FG begins verification of ex-militants

    The Presidential Amnesty Programme Office in Nigeria has commenced the verification of ex-militants to ascertain their exact number.

    The Coordinator of the Programmme, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (Rtd) made this known in Abuja on Saturday, saying the exercise is part of the exit plans.

    Boroh, who is also the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta, reiterated government’s commitment to the training and empowerment of all beneficiaries listed on the programme.

    He said that more than 3,010 ex-militants who recently exited the programme have been empowered.

    “Exiting from the programme is as a result of empowerment and delegates are given starter packs for their businesses.

    “The office trains the ex-militants in various vocational skill centres and educational institutions in Nigeria and abroad,” he said.

    According to Boroh, the mandate of the office is not to provide jobs, but to train and reintegrate the ex-militants.

    “Well, some people could argue that getting jobs for them is part of reintegration. We have to look into that to see how we can get these persons properly reintegrated,” Boroh said.

    The presidential aide said that 200 ex-agitators had graduated from advanced agriculture training at the Bio Resource Centre in Odi, Bayelsa State.

    “We will explore the opportunity provided by the Federal Government so that our delegates that had been trained can be gainfully employed,’’ he said.

    Also read: FG succumbs, pays Niger Delta ex-militants outstanding stipends

    Boroh said that agriculture should be encouraged at all levels of national life so that the country could become a multicultural economy that depends less on oil.

    He said youth unemployment remained a major challenge in the Niger Delta, and assured that the government would resuscitate the moribund industrial complexes in the region.

    According to him, some of the industries include the Aluminium Smelting Company in Akwa Ibom and the Aladja Steel in Delta state.

    “These would provide employment for tens of thousands of youths in the Niger Delta,” Boroh said.

  • Presidency, politicians jostle for Ibori’s support ahead release

    By Tamunoebi Youdouwei

    Citing renewed violence in the Niger Delta and the former governor’s wide support base in the region, top presidency officials are waiting to bait Chief James Ibori to lead a project to pacify the region and build goodwill in the region.

    ImageFile: Presidency, politicians jostle for Ibori’s support ahead release1
    Chief James Onanefe Ibori.

    Ordinarily Chief James Ibori, who is likely to be released from prison in London before Christmas should be a pariah, but the unstable and unsettled political calculations in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, from which he hails, has thrown up the former Delta State governor as a beautiful bride for politicians from across the country.

    Sources say top politicians who are gauging the state of the country see in Ibori a man with tremendous goodwill and political sagacity to take hold of the Niger Delta, a region he is versed in and where he championed the resource control campaign that won him both supporters and enemies, especially in the federal government in Abuja. That campaign that drew fire from President Olusegun Obasanjo is part of the reason Chief Ibori was hounded to jail in London, aside other allegations over which he is still claiming his innocence.

    In 2000, while serving as governor of Delta State, Chief Ibori along with Akwa Ibom State governor Victor Attah and Bayelsa State governor, Late DSP Alamieyeseigha, led a sustained effort at fiscal federalism that caught the Obasanjo federal regime flatfooted; they tested the waters of Nigeria’s federalism and made the point that states should have a significant level of control over their resources, an effort that ensured that the federal government continued with the 13% derivation payment. It was a campaign that won the heart of some governors of resource rich states such as Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu, who was then on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) but is today a building-block of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    That wide contact and effective mobilisation is what politicians are looking to mine, aside the fact that while he was governor Ibori was a leader who was on ground. His groundbreaking effort at resolving the hitherto intractable Warri crisis of violence among the three indigenous ethnic groups and massive infrastructural works as governor put him in good stead among the people but his disagreement with some local political leaders led to the orchestrated campaign that landed him in jail in the UK.

    Already, news of his impending release has gotten politicians in Delta State active and many outside the region are looking with great interest.

    One source close to the presidency justified the interest in Ibori despite the impression that he would be clamped in jail once he comes back: “There has to be a basis to jail him. The fact that he has been convicted in the UK does not mean he will automatically serve time when he comes back home. The cases against him and other politicians are ongoing and if he has any, it will follow that route. I think it will be an overkill to ignore several politicians who have cases to answer and have not been convicted and keep on flogging Ibori and they are very many, from the former governors to ministers and even former presidents.”

    The man who is well-connected to the current federal administration sees a use for Ibori. “I can tell you that there are people in government that are asking themselves what value will be gained from harassing Ibori vis-a-vis tapping his contacts to restore peace to the Niger Delta?”

    While he did not expatiate further, there are concerns that President Buhari has not been able to manage the sabotage of oil industry facilities by renewed militancy attack because he does not have the right people leading the effort. As governor, Ibori was one of those who laid the groundwork for the enduring peace that prevailed in Delta State and other states in the Niger Delta from late 2007, when he served as late President Musa Yar’Adua’s political diplomat in the region, helping to prepare the nation for the adoption of the amnesty programme that came to be the foundation for the stability of the oil industry for the next few years. Unfortunately, other items on the agenda were not followed through after Yar’Adua’s death in 2010.

    Perhaps to underscore his political value, different groups in Delta State are planning to receive him in a grand way. Several of them have stationed in London to await his release to his London home from where he would return to Nigeria once the asset forfeiture cases are resolved. Many of his old political soul mates are looking to receive him also.

    It is an astonishing turnaround for a man who was vilified and taken as the poster-boy of corruption by the previous federal government. The reason is not far-fetched. Even among his archenemies, including Obasanjo, Ibori was acknowledged as a leader who not only dreamed big, but walked the talk. While commissioning some of four bridges Ibori built to link up island communities during a state visit, President Obasanjo remarked that he had not seen anything like them and called him the ‘bridge-builder’.

    It is one reason there is excitement that Ibori is being released, aside many political actors today who he nurtured and empowered. That quality is why politicians and the Nigerian presidency are looking to see to what value Ibori can be put to work on Nigeria’s many seemingly intractable problems.