PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve and sustaining the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) amidst dissenting voices and comments for it to be discontinued has been applauded by erstwhile Commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Ebikabowei Victor Ben, popularly known as General Boyloaf.
The ex-agitator noted that the President’s decision to continue with the Presidential Amnesty Programme on assumption of in 2015 was a demonstration of his good intentions for youths of the Niger Delta region.
This, Victor-Ben said Tuesday at a Peace day ceremony to mark the day agitators willingly dropped their arms at the Peace Park, opposite Government House, Yenagoa.
Victor-Ben, also lauded fatherly and pioneering role played by Former Governor, Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State that built confidence in the militias to accept the decision and boldly disarm, not forgetting other Ijaw leaders role and the subsequent proclamation of amnesty for repentant militants in the Niger Delta region.
He recalled how late former President Shehu Musa Yaradua contacted him through Ex-governor Sylva to discuss the amnesty deal.
According to him, the reason which led to militancy in the Niger Delta was for economic emancipation of the people of the region to have a fair share out of the resources from the region that produces over ninety percent of the national wealth.
He said that it was regrettable that prior to the Amnesty Programme, the Niger Delta region had nothing to show for its oil endowments because of the insensitivity of previous administrations in the country.
General Boyloaf, who joined the then newly, formed MEND in 2006; and rose the rank of commander, was honoured alongside the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd), Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Pastor Reuben with Peace Award.
The Ex- militant Leader, however, called on self-seeking politicians to stop distracting the President from carrying out good plans for the Niger Delta, adding he has faith in the present administration, just as he looked forward to more policies targeted at the region.
It would be recalled that Gen Boyloaf had joined the then newly formed MEND in 2006, where he rose to prominence in the ranks of the organization.
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