Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (retd) has warned beneficiaries of the amnesty programme to steer clear of violence in the region.
He said any beneficiary of the amnesty programme who involved in any violent action would be violating the oath he took to end violence which earned him the Presidential Amnesty. As such, he warns that any beneficiary involved in violence will be exited from the programme. Besides the stoppage of monthly stipend such a person would also be prosecuted.
Boroh, who gave the warning against the backdrop of the impending rerun elections, said violence would undermine the peace building efforts by the Federal Government in the region.
According to the statement: “The Presidential Amnesty Programme is saddened by the circle of electoral violence cracking up Rivers State. This has become more pronounced as preparation for the rerun elections for the state draws closer. Such violence portends danger to the electoral and governance system in the country. It also gravely undermines the peace building efforts by the Federal Government in the region.
The Amnesty Office appeals to all and sundry to keep the peace and abide by the rules of the electoral game to achieve stability in the state.
“The Amnesty Office specifically advises youths and ex-agitators not to allow themselves to be used as cannon fodders in the spiralling violence in the state.”
The statement added: “The Amnesty Coordinator impresses on all the former agitators leaders to exercise control over the beneficiaries under their leadership and warns that where a leader is found to be complicit in violence, apart from him, his camp will in addition, face sanctions.”