Ex-militants ask Buhari to ignore Dokubo-Asari

A group known as Coalition of ex-Niger-Delta Militants and Agitators on Tuesday in Abuja called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore the threats by the leader of the Niger-Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, to return to the creeks following the failure of former President Goodluck Jonathan to be re-elected.

The organisation, which suggested that the government should “go for him” if Dokubo-Asari insists on his agenda to return to the creeks, also apologised on behalf of the people for the insults Buhari received from the Niger-Delta during the campaigns.

The ex-militants also called on the President to review the amnesty programme of the Federal Government and contract for the protection of oil pipelines.

President of the coalition, ‘General’ Israel Akpodoro, told journalists that the Jonathan’s administration was a great disservice to the people of the Niger-Delta.

He said, “Nigerians should be patient with Buhari and give peace a chance. Buhari wants to work. Jonathan lost election because there was a free and fair election in Nigeria. Jonathan failed us because we thought that by now all the whole roads in the Niger-Delta would have been tarred.

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“We are not returning to the creeks, Dokubo-Asari is on his own. Nobody should listen to him and if he makes noise, Buhari should go for him.”

Akpodoro stated that before the election of Buhari, the coalition had endorsed him in all local and national television stations in the Niger Delta, while five of their members died during the general elections.

He added, “We are appealing to this government of Buhari to do well for us. The amnesty programme should not be stopped. Boko Haram should lay down their arms and bring their agitation to government and if the amnesty is what they need, Buhari should do that for them.

“The Niger-Delta people are disappointed in Jonathan. When ex-President Umaru Yar ‘Adua brought amnesty, there was an agreement that the Niger Delta should be developed. But Jonathan disappointed us; out of the 30,000 ex-agitators, about 75 per cent did not benefit from the amnesty programme under Jonathan. We fared better under Yar’Adua.”