The poor coordination of the reintegration phase of the Amnesty Programme of the Nigerian government for ex-militants in the Niger Delta region is something the government must address, a counter terrorism expert, retired Major General Cecil Esekhaigbe, said on Sunday.
A group that calls themselves the Niger Delta Avengers is attacking oil and gas facilities in the region, gradually dipping the nation’s oil production which had hit 2.4 million barrels per day in the post-amnesty era.
Nigeria’s revenue depends largely on sales of crude oil and a drop in production at a time of volatile oil price is a huge threat to the nation’s economy.
The latest attack, which no group has claimed responsibility for, occurred on Saturday in Bayelsa State, just a few days after President Muhammadu Buhari assured oil companies in the region of safety of their installations.
Giving his opinion about the Niger Delta Avengers activities, stressed that the Amnesty Programme predicated a DDR initiative – Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration – had a disconnection which needed to be addressed.
“While the two Ds have fed well, the reintegration phase has not really been coordinated.
“Most of the ex-militants that were trained have not really been re-integrated into the system.
“A lot of them have been trained but they do not have jobs. The government must begin to think of giving them jobs.
“If you do not address the situation, there is room for dissidence and some of these actions that are taking place,” he warned.
The retired military officer emphasised that the the Amnesty Programme put in place by the late Yar’Adua administration to a large extent achieved its purpose.
“Pre-Amnesty Programme, we were talking about 700 barrels of crude oil per day and in post-amnesty, it rose to 2.4 million barrels per day.”
Mr Esekhaigbe, however, pointed out that there was a very good platform for the agitators to express their grievances.
“Those grievances have nothing to write home about because they lack foundation and sense of understanding,” he said.
The counter terrorism expert further urged political leaders in Bayelsa to collaborate with the government and identify those that have not been properly reintegrated in the Amnesty Programme and advice the government.
Earlier on Saturday, an ex-militant, Asari Dokubo, who said he had no link with the Niger Delta Avengers, stressed that the region was still marginalised.
