From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The emergence of militancy in Nigeria’s Niger Delta after the 1999 general elections brought social maladies like robbery, kidnapping, assassinations and increase in cult activities, among others.
Before the Niger Delta militants were granted amnesty in 2009 by the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua-led government, the country’s economy had been crippled as a result of the bombing of oil installations. From the launch of the amnesty programme till the expiration of the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the nation’s economy improved. But the economy has nosedived again since the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the economy has again, nosedived following the activities of militants and the fall in oil price globally.
Besides militancy, cultism has also been very rampant in the Niger Delta, especially in Rivers State. Various cult groups have engaged one another in clashes, leading to deaths of members and even innocent citizens. After their disengagement by politicians, the cult groups then start engaging in wars of supremacy, kidnappings, assassinations, and other crimes.
Build-up of arms
General elections in this part of the country have always been characterized by violence, and that of 2015 was no exception. The political rivalry and hate campaigns by the major political parties helped in no small measure in promoting violence in the state. And on the days of the elections, cultists deployed the arms and ammunition bought purposely to perpetuate violence in virtually all parts of the state.
But worried by the proliferation of arms in the state and the deadly activities of cult groups, the state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike felt that one of the ways to tackle the menace could be through the adoption of the carrot-and -stick method. The governor decided to grant amnesty to cultists and kidnappers in the state, provided they were ready to surrender their weapons. He then inaugurated the Rivers State Amnesty Programme Committee.
The Amnesty Programme was inaugurated on Friday, September 16, 2016. The committee has as its members, representatives of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Security (DSS). The Special Adviser to the Governor on Amnesty, Sir Ken Chinda is the chairman of the committee.
In his inauguration speech, Governor Wike charged the committee to interface with different cult groups for the purpose of retrieving arms and ammunition from them.
The governor also charged the committee to work out the modalities to ensure the proper integration of cultists and militants that willingly embrace the amnesty programme.
He also warned the committee members against promising repentant cultists and militants that the state government would pay for weapons surrendered in the course of the programme.
He declared: “Anyone who has surrendered his arms, and has followed through the process laid out for the amnesty, will be pardoned. Such a person will not be prosecuted.
“This committee has 60 days to complete its assignment. After the 60 days, any cultist or militant who fails to subscribe to the amnesty programme will face the full weight of the law.”
The governor reiterated that the amnesty programme was not politically- motivated, pointing out that it was designed to promote the security of all communities in the state.
Responding on behalf of the committee members, Chairman of the Committee, Chinda, assured the governor that members would work in line with the terms of reference outlined.
Members of the committee were: Sir Chinda, Special Adviser to Wike on (Amnesty)- Chairman, Lt Col. Timothy Opurum- Nigerian Army, Flt Lt Gabriel Folorunso Ayeyemi – Nigerian Air Force. Lt Cdr Segun Adebajo – Nigerian Navy, Mr. Daniel Uzor – DSS , ACP Imo Sam Orok – Nigeria Police and Dr. George Nweke – Permanent Secretary, Special Services Bureau, Committee’s Secretary.
How it started
The committee kicked off its assignment by visiting several local government areas. These included Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ikwerre, Emohua, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Etche, Andoni, Khana, Degema and Akuku-Toru.
Findings revealed that in Abonnema, the headquarters of Akuku-Toru LGA, chairman of the Committee, Chinda, called for collaborative efforts by stakeholders to ensure peace in their domain, so as to resuscitate the economy of the state. Before now, off-shore business was as good as dead due to the activities of cultist and sea pirates.
But Mr. Chinda, who was optimistic that off-shore businesses would soon pick up in Kalabari axis unhindered, tasked the youths to redirect their energies towards positive ventures. He, however, clarified that the State Amnesty Programme was not designed to recognise those who have committed crime against the state, but to restore peace in the warring communities.
At the end of the day, a cult group, the Degbam, led by one Divine Boy, submitted to the committee two Pump Action guns, three locally made pistols, three long dane guns, 14 rounds of cartridges, six wraps of dynamite, over 30 machetes, axes and charms.
As part of the efforts to sustain the programme, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the LGA, Tonye Alalibo, who pledged to complement the effort of the state government in restoring peace in the area, assured that his administration would ensure that qualified and skilled youths were not short-changed in the employment opportunities offered by multinationals.
In Anoni, different cult groups from Asarama, Ebukuma, Ngo and Ilotombi communities also surrendered their weapons of destruction. The weapons included five AK-47 rifles, four Pump Action guns, eight locally made pistols, 12 dane guns, 12 rounds of 7.62 live ammunition, six rounds of cartridges and five wraps of dynamites.
Some Andoni residents who spoke to the reporter were hopeful that the amnesty offered to cultists in Andoni would help to boost economic activities in the area. The residents, who came to witness the disarmament exercise, said they had long been discouraged from engaging in their traditional aquaculture due to increasing rate of piracy.
Undeclared arms
Checks revealed that the cultists are not sincere regarding the number or quantity of weapons being declared. It is the belief of many that the sophisticated weapons they used in perpetrating crime and committing murder were left behind, while an insignificant number of weapons were surrendered to the Amnesty Committee.
For instance, the committee refused to grant amnesty to cultists in Bonny Local Government Area. The committee said it was not satisfied with the arms surrendered by the cult groups in the area. The visibly disappointed chairman of the committee said the arms surrendered were not commensurate with the level of crimes committed within Bonny and its waterways. He, however, gave them a 48-hour ultimatum to surrender willingly or face military sanction. Only three out of the five identified cult groups submitted an Ak-47 rifle, a pump action gun, four locally made pistols, a damaged English made pistol, two dane guns, 87 rounds of 7.62mm, and seven rounds of 9mm live ammunition, and some machetes.
Harvest of returned weapons
Surprisingly, in Degema LGA, a 65-year-old man, Elis Amachree, was among hundreds of cultists who embraced the Rivers State Government Amnesty package. Mr. Amachree, who said he had been involved in cult-related activities for about 20 years, attributed his involvement to hardship. He, however, appealed to the state government to show sincerity in the rehabilitation programme.
Investigations also revealed that in Emohua, the committee disarmed cultists operating in Elele Alimini in Emohua Local Government Area. The case is not too different in Etche, where two pump action guns, four dane guns, a double barrel, locally made pistol and two cartridges were recovered from a cult group.
In Gokana, it was gathered that the Amnesty Committee, on three occasions, declined to proclaim amnesty on cultists in the area. This was because the committee also said it was not satisfied with the arms submitted by the cult groups. Chinda, while speaking at Mogho community, was quoted as saying that security reports revealed that some communities had central armouries from where they sponsored youths to fight inter-communal wars.
The communities reportedly mentioned were Deyor, Dekia, Barako, Nwebiara, B-dere, K-dere, Kpor, Bodo, and Yeghe. He gave the communities two days to surrender the arms, as criterion for the completion of Amnesty exercise in the local government. The G3 rifles said to have been submitted, like in the two previous exercises, did not have effective compartment.
Findings revealed that some notable cultists shunned the amnesty programme. For instance, two alleged notorious leaders of two deadly cult groups in Ikwerre LGA, Samuel Nkasiobi (aka Italian) and Ike Amadi (aka Gun Boat), shunned the programme.
On the first day of the programme at Isiokpo, in Ikwerre LGA, thousands of youths embraced amnesty. Less than a week later, a cult group allegedly led by Gun Boat as well as other local groups surrendered their arms to the committee. But its leader, Gun Boat, boycotted the ceremony. Arms surrendered by the group included two AK-47, two Pump Action, a riot gunner, four locally- made pistol, 38 rounds of NATO ammunition, 64 rounds of 7.62MM ammunition, 14 teargas canister, seven magazines and four wraps of dynamite. The groups were operating in Ubima, Umuademe and Igwurutali axis.
Caretaker Committee Chairman of the local government area, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, said his administration would support the state government to rehabilitate the repentant cultists, adding that only peace could drive development in the area.
Investigation revealed that Italian and Gun Boat later surrendered to the committee, after boycotting the programme twice.
Gun Boat, whose group had earlier surrendered on his behalf, appeared in person to sign the undertaking for renunciation of cultism, as demanded by the Amnesty Committee. Italian, who claimed to be the President, Heroes Forum of his cult group in Ikwerre and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, led his group to surrender, few hours to the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum given to him.
He was said to have thanked the governor for giving him another chance to live normal life. His group surrendered, 2 AK-47 rifles, 2 General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) and several rounds of live ammunition.
At Omuma LGA, people were shocked when a 30-year old physically challenged lady, Nnenna Nwamuru, joined over 100 cultists to embrace the amnesty. Miss Nwamuru, who is a crippled single mother, was said to have been an informant to the Iceland cult group for the past five years. She was also said to have confessed supplying cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) to the cult group. In an interview with the reporter, she regretted her actions and appealed for government’s help to enable her return to school.
Also, the Amnesty Committee was said to have issued ultimatum to two cult leaders in Omuma Local Government Area, asking them to submit their arms or face military action. The two gang leaders are Ugochukwu Aaron and Onyemenme. According to intelligence report, both gang leaders were in possession of three AK-47 rifles, a pump action and a motorcycle used in committing atrocities.
At Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, a former militant leader, Don Waney, was one of the prominent agitators in Rivers State that embraced the amnesty and surrendered cache of arms to the Committee. Waney, who led a dreaded group called Aggrieved Youths of Orashi, with thousands of followers, had been accused several times of committing heinous crimes like killing, kidnappings, and explosion of oil facilities within and outside Rivers State. But he has always denied the allegations.
The arms he submitted included: 23 AK-47 rifles, a G-3 rifle, two LMG rifles, a GR-7 rifle, two Pump Action guns, a Rocket-Propelled Grenade, a Bomb, 6,988 LAR, NATO and 7.62mm bullets, 146 magazines, locally- made guns and pistols and military uniforms.
While granting amnesty to the group, Chinda appealed to other cultists and militants in the area to embrace the programme. The committee, however, cancelled the amnesty granted to one Nonso Oboru, popularly called, “General Don Do” and members of his group.
The committee accused “Don Do” and some members of his group of involvement in kidnapping activities and other related violence after embracing the Amnesty programme on October 6, this year.
In a chat with journalists, Chinda warned that the state government would not hesitate to withdraw the amnesty offer from any former cultist or militant who went back to criminality.
Amnesty committee warns
The State Amnesty Committee also warned that the biometric data forms distributed to former cult and militant groups through their former leaders were not for sale. Chinda said any leader identified to be selling the form would be arrested and prosecuted. He equally warned that no group should duplicate the forms to increase their numerical numbers, with a view to defrauding the state government. He said the committee has accurate data of all the disarmed groups. He said the committee would withdraw the amnesty granted to any group found culpable in either, selling or duplicating the biometric data forms.
Cult leaders excited
One of the leaders of the cult groups that embraced the amnesty in Ikwerre LGA, Justice Amadi, commended the state government for the privilege; and appealed that they be integrated into the community and provided a source of livelihood.
“I am happy today that the state government is giving us this opportunity. I have repented long ago before this opportunity came to us because I became tired of hiding and living in the bush. Because the repentance is from my heart, I did not leave behind any of my guns, except one that one of my friends, who had been arrested, took from me. I call on the government to ensure that we are reintegrated into the society, and that they provide sources of livelihood for us,” he said.
How gunmen attacked amnesty programme committee
It was gathered that members of the committee escaped death by whiskers after they were ambushed and attacked on their way to Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA by suspected unrepentant cultists in the area. A source who was privy to the incident, Miss. Sandra (surname withheld) disclosed that hoodlums intercepted the team around Akabuka community and opened fire on them.
Security operatives were said to have overpowered the hoodlums and chased them into a creek in the area before the team moved on.
Sandra said: “We were going to Omoku, when some boys came out around Akabuka community and started shooting at us. I was in a bulletproof car. Other journalists who were in another car that was not safe were asked to be rolling on the ground till they joined us.”
A security man, who confided in the reporter, said after the incident, soldiers arrested one of the bandits who attacked the committee.
The source gave the name of the arrested suspect as Mr. Celestine Okpaka, adding that he was the second-in-command of Obiezimini Icelanders cult group. He said investigation was still on to apprehend other members of the cult group.
MIIVOC warns
One community that has been adversely affected by cult activities is Egi in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, LGA. Cultism in the area did not only affect the citizen, it also affected the operations of the multi-national oil companies like, the Total E&P. In fact, some members of the community have accused multinational companies in the area of promoting violence by the youths.
A non-governmental organisation, Media Initiative Against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC) recently called on Governor Wike to step in and resolve the differences between the Egi community and Total Oil Company before it degenerates.
Executive Director of MIIVOC, Dr. Walter Duru, warned that the lingering disagreement between the two parties could worsen the already dicey security situation in the area.
What people say
But some stakeholders have some reservations for the amnesty programme. Some of those interviewed said the proposed legislative rerun elections in the state to be held on December 10 would be a determining factor for the success or failure of amnesty package. But the national leader of Niger Delta Coalition for Non-Violence (NDCAV), Christian Lekia, said any government programme that would enthrone peace and a violence-free society should be encouraged.
He noted that in the recent times, unhealthy political rivalry usually witnessed in the state ahead of general elections has reared its ugly head. He condemned hate message and incitements by major political gladiators, which usually lead to high rate of violence.
He contended that the government should have gone about the amnesty deal in a better way.
“If the government had wanted do an amnesty programme that would work, I feel that it should have been driven by conventional security institutions like the DSS, Police, the Military, because, through a collaborative platform, they should have developed an intelligence platform for security. This could have been corrected. If the professionals have driven it, in collaboration with the political leadership of the state, they would have given the state government the best of advice and some of the lapses they witnessed wouldn’t have happened,” he said.