By Chimezie Godfrey
An ex-militant leader, Eshanekpe Israel, a.k.a Akpodoro, has lamented the non payment of the monthly stipends to ex-militants, allegedly on the order of the National Security Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, he opined that the NSA’s ordered to the Presidential Amnesty Programme office, not to pay beneficiaries since January this year,would set the ex-militants on collision course against government.
Recently, the Federal Government suspended its Coordinator and Senior Adviser to the President on Presidential Amnesty Programme, Charles Dokubo and subsequently ordered the office of the NSA, to probe the activities of the agency and also manage its affairs until further notice.
However, Akpodoro asked: “Why did Monguno unilaterally stop payment of our stipend since January this year if not for the purpose of looting that office and cause the federal government to whined down the programme.”
Akpodoro who is the national President of the National Coalition of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, NCNDEA, observed that the government in Nigeria was watching, while the NSA was stoking fire in the Delta region.
“The world is witness to the psychological war being waged against the region by those who are saddled with responsibility of peace building. Reactions to Monguno’s greed and sinister motives against the people of the Delta region may cripple the country’s economy,” he further said.
Akpodoro, who doubles as the national Coordinator of Urhobo Youth Forum for Change, UYFC, said the current administration was trying to undo the legacy of late President Umar Yar’Adua.
“The issues that brought about the establishment of the programme in 2009 are still there in the region, yet, “Monguno is playing games with the good of our people and, this we shall resist with the last drop of our blood.”
“The people of the region still suffer abject poverty, unemployment, marginalisation, environmental degradation and other factors that precipitated the arm struggle in the region by today’s ex-militants were worse that it was before now, yet, the FG is taking our patriotism for granted,” he pointed out.
He called on the President to, as a matter of urgency, order the payment of the arrears of the stipend owed ex-militants “to forestall crisis of great magnitude in the region.
“The South African economy recently went into recession and we don’t wish to plunge our nation into same economic situation but it may become imperative if Monguno is allowed to goad us into going back to the creeks.
“The President should order payment immediately and also appoint a substantive Coordinator to effectively manage the programme,” he stated.
