27th November, 2015
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Some aggrieved ex-militants in the Niger Delta who claimed that they were in the creeks working for their bosses and participated in amnesty training in Obubra, in Cross River State, have taken to the streets of Port Harcourt, the Rivers state, protesting over nonpayment of their five months stipends by the Federal Government.
The aggrieved ex-militants numbering over 400 took the protest to the National Youth Council of Nigeria located along Azikiwe Road in Port Harcourt.
The ex-agitators said they had reported the nonpayment of their allowances to the police, Department State Services, DSS, electronic media houses and human rights commission.
They lamented that some of their former bosses are holding influential positions in government of the state, either in the Rivers State House of Assembly or at local government areas as members of Caretaker Committees.
They said that for the sake of peace they had been patient and channeled their grievances in a civil manner and have contacted relevant authorities but hag got no response.
They warned that they would never work for their former bosses or carry arms on behalf of anybody because they had been used and dumped.
Addressing the aggrieved ex-militants at the Secretariat of National Youth Council of Nigeria, the Chairman of Youth Council in Rivers State Sokubo Saraigbe Sokubo urged the protesting ex-militants to remain calm and promised to take their complaint to the relevant authority.