Amnesty programme for Niger-Delta militants to end by 2015

The amnesty programme introduced by the Yar’Adua administration for Niger Delta militants is billed to come to an end in 2015.

The Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty, Kingsley Kuku, made this known at a press briefing on Saturday, when he announced that the programme will not continue despite the agitation by several groups springing up in the region demanding to be accommodated in the programme.

Kuku stated that the federal government is putting plans in place to cater for those ex-militants whose training will elapse after the timeline for the programme.

He however noted that there might be the need to extend the programme after 2015, with a condition that such would be possible after a series of evaluation.

The relative peace experienced in Nigeria’s oil rich Niger Delta can be said to be fallout of the amnesty granted former agitators in the Niger Delta region of the country.

The amnesty which shielded the militants from prosecution over various atrocities they committed while agitating for fair sharing of oil rents was followed with the introduction of the presidential amnesty programme which aimed at rehabilitating the militants who have denounced violence.

Though introduced by the regime of Musa Yar’Adua, President Goodluck Jonathan has continued to implement the programme which has benefitted thousands of youths from the Niger Delta region.