By Ayodele Oni
A group of self proclaimed ex- militants from the coastal area of Ondo State, on Monday, protested over what they described as total neglect and abandonment by the Federal government.
According to members of the group, numbering about six thousand, both the Federal and Ondo State Governments have refused to honour their part of the amnesty/disarmament agreement.
The ex-militants, who had in 2017 laid down their arms, lamented that it was painful to note that government has failed to include them in the amnesty programme.
They called on the National Security Adviser to the President to facilitate their integration into the amnesty programme like their other counterparts.
The ex- militants spoke in Akure, the state capital through their leaders, Job Omotuwa and Ogalo Ibori surrounded by other leaders.
They claimed in their statement that “we the youths and ex-militants of the mandate areas in Ondo State which comprises of Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government have been abandoned and neglected by the government at various levels in its Presidential Amnesty Programme till date having been so disarmed for reintegration.
“lt is our earnest yearning and prayer that you use your good office, influence and position as a man of the youth to absorb us into the Presidential Amnesty Programme being the basis of the November, 2017 disarmament exercise carried out by the government.
“It is painful to note that till date, no step or nothing has been done to absorb, ameliorate, mitigate and cushion our suffering and such calls for your honest, drastic and prompt attention being the Honourable Security Adviser to the President.
“The need for your prompt and attention in enlisting us into the Presidential Amnesty Programme is crucial and cannot be over emphasized since the government has failed, reneged, refused and neglected to honour its part of the said amnesty/disarmament agreement or contract of November, 2017 till date.
“The Special Adviser to Mr. President /Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Committee and all other relevant stakeholders in the integration process have also failed, neglected and /or refused to enlist us as beneficiaries like others in the Amnesty Programme despite all efforts made to reach out to them as regards our suffering and abandonment since 2017 till date”
