By Emma Amaize
A former Federal Commissioner for Information and National Leader of the Ijaw ethnic nationality, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, urged President Umaru Yar’Adua to direct the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta to call off the search for wanted militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, since the Federal Government had made known its intention to grant amnesty to militants.
He argued that the continued search for Tompolo by JTF countermanded the amnesty package of the government, particularly as the cordon and search operation that was declared in the aftermath for the missing soldiers, led to the bombardment of Gbaramatu Kingdom and sacking of thousands of innocent villagers from their homes.
Clark, who just returned from a medical trip to London, frowned at the purported bid by JTF to link militants with the large cargo of arms and ammunition recently confiscated by security agents at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
He said the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), was investigating the matter and the task force should leave on the matter.
According to him: “JTF should concern itself with matters that affect the Niger-Delta where they are and not Kano, they should allow DMI to carry out investigations and not give impression that the Ukraine plane was carrying weapons for militants, which is not true.”
He said JTF was supposed to be a peace-keeping force, but that it was acting like an enemy to the people, hence it used heavy weapons to attack the people in the name of search for militants.
Clark insisted that it was an insult to the Niger-Delta people for JTF to deny that it did not use weighty weapons when it was clear from the bombings that were carried out.
“Why should they deny it, did the JTF Commander not say that they planned the operation and they attacked from land, air and water, so what weapons did they use for the attack that razed and brought down houses?”
Clark urged Yar’Adua to caution the task force, as its statement seemed to undermine the amnesty plan by his administration.
“The government cannot be talking about amnesty and JTF is saying things that tend to suggest that it is not ready for the planned amnesty.”
He said the people of the region were eagerly waiting for the amnesty package and urged militants to accept it. He also asked the government to make known plans for the demilitarisation of the region.
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Hmmmmmmm…….. I wonder…….Hmmmmmmm…….
Yara Adua amnesty plan a fluke. Nigeria and multinational oil and gas companies are loosing huge money be the hour. They are bleeding from MEND operations and Yara Adua is desparate. MEND will reject the amnesty. We need UN intervention. Yara Adua should send JTF to Somalia..
Amnesty or no amnesty, if the government deceives itself by thinking they can play amnesty tricks with the boys in the creeks then they are in for a shocker. The government can no longer run away from true federalism. True federalism should not be kicked under the carpet like Semiens probe, Wilbros probe, Power probe etc. The militants can truly disarm only when the right thing is done. It is only someone who has an evil agenda or a group/tribe with parasitic intent that will never subscribe to true federalism
If not that Yara Adua is a me,,, patient, he should have known that amnesty is not part of MEND demand. Amnesty actually died on arrival. Mend, should give us good news today.
Mend, how many oil installations did you bomb today? And what about the pipelines?
Its a pity that we fail to face reality in this country. Who does not know that Chief EK Clark is a direct beneficiary of Tompolo’s largesse and empire. He now uses his position as a statesman to take sides and make biased statements. Many of EK Clark’s type are in the Niger Delta hiding from their sins, while some in government and legislature are using their positions to shield the truth. The genuine Niger Delta struggle has since given way to greed and wickedness. Take a cross section of wealth acquired by militant leaders and their cohorts in the region.
Yar’adua is talking of amnesty and sending troops to Niger Delta at the same time.Hmmmm….Confused president trying to confuse Nigerians.Chief Clark,i agree with you but will the amnesty be extended to Henry Okah? Hmmmmmm….. I wonder…… Nigerians don’t trust Yar’adua’s govt.Hmmmm…… I doubt this amnesty.