Comments on: FG plans N50bn amnesty package

By: Newspaper Man

Newspaper Man — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:02:58 +0000

I don’t know what to think – it seems like a lot of taxpayers money going into a conflict that could become another endless one.

By: Ganiyu

Ganiyu — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:58:35 +0000

I still wonder if our leaders are human being,many people are laying in hospitals without due care,many graduates are roaming about in the street without job.Many public institutions are in limbo and Nigerians are suffering both home and abroad yet this people spend so much money on useless things.Oh my God!
50 billion for amnesty package.I think there are better things which this money could be used on.I am very sure that this money will not yield any result if any.Even looking at the face of those involves one will easily see that they are just there to share the money not achieving the motive behind the money if actually there is any.Well, it is God alone that will deliver this country from this threshold of limbo.

By: Comfort Okeize, USA

Comfort Okeize, USA — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:48:24 +0000

Unless the Hausa govt has already stake the lives of Hausa civilians in the Niger Delta region. Only that will what Seyi said will take place. Mend should know by now that any attack on them means a triple reprisal attack. That settles it.

I can even leave my telephone number ‘here’ if you need it.

In mend we hope.

By: Akinleye

Akinleye — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:24:12 +0000

The demand for justice is far beyond the issue of Amnesty as been peddling by govt

By: Bolou Oduruku

Bolou Oduruku — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:54:59 +0000

MEND NEVER SOLICITS FOR AMNESTY,THE WITHDRAWAL OF ,THE FORCEFULL OCCUPATION OF THE TERITORY OF THE DEPRIVED ONE BY A LEGION OF SOLDIERS IS A PRECONDITION FOR PEACE.
PLEASE USE THE 50BILLION FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION AND REBUILDING OF THE AREA.BRING IN THE ELDERS YOU BRANDED AS MILITANTS AND THE COMMAND STRUCTURE OF THE FOOT SOLDIERS ON A ROUND TABLE FOR DISCUSSIONS.
SET THE STAGE FOR DEVELOPMENT WITH SINCERITY ,ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY,THEN DISARMAMENT WILL FOLLOW WILFULLY..

By: musa frn ngrdltr

musa frn ngrdltr — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:24:31 +0000

this is for you seyi and those fools out there that see things like you,because you have no common sense.. and shame. in case they did not tell you before hear it now… no amount of military assault or atrocities will break MEND…MEND has come to stay….you ass!!!!!!!

By: musa frn ngrdltr

musa frn ngrdltr — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:18:17 +0000

the way this sycophant of a thing called “seyi “reason show he is an imbecile…don’t you have some better to do than to make foolish and useless comments…. idiot ,you pig… GOD punish your generation…..

By: Seyi

Seyi — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:43:31 +0000

So what happens when the militants decide they don’t want amnesty? I think we will end up spending hundreds of millions of naira only to find out just100 militants want amnesty. From the way I see this, the militants are not interested in amnesty and the president, hungry for any sort of answer, is over exposing himself here. The whole Niger Delta crisis has taken a bad turn and the more I look at it, the more I think it’s going to take a disciplined, targeted, quick, and surgical military action to solve this problem. First, let us round up their sponsors (at least the government says they know them), then let’s block their source of weapons (all the while increasing the security at oil installations). This will reduce the number of attacks on oil installations but likely increase the number of abductions. I have no idea what to do with the abductions but an increase is a sign of weakness on the militants’ part. Therefore consider amnesty at this stage and make it available for only a short period of time. Once the amnesty widow is closed, it’s time for a full fledged military action. Of curse make sure the people living in those communities are safe. Evacuate them if you have to. The money should be spent on a full plan like this that has a better chance of succeeding rather than on amnesty alone and wishing things will work out.

By: Yugos

Yugos — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:43:55 +0000

The way I see it is this, even if it means that Fed Govt is bribing militants to successfully end militancy, it does not bother me BUT my great worry is that, I am 100% sure that as long as such huge money is going to be involved in the amnesty program, it is already a failure as the militants will feel so humiliated and infact will not stand taking peanuts while these Nigerian Commitee Members enjoy the larger chunk of the national cake (50 billion naira amnesty money). It would have been more honourable for the Govt to get the amnesty act into law with a simple pronouncement of asking willing militants to embrace the amnesty since the alternative of not doing so is already been implemented by the way of JTF operations in Niger Delta. This way, they save 50 billion naira as developement fund and a potential problem of who gets the better share of the national cake.

By: Pat

Pat — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:13:40 +0000

Dear Editor,

First of all, i want to thank Vanguard for the way the are updating their website and the way they are letting people know what is happening in the country especially people that can not afford to buy newspaper Or people that is not around, also read Nigerian newspapers online everyday.

Please! please!! please!!! Sir kindly add the news from the states that is on the website before to enable us/me know what is happening in my state.

Thanks very much,

Your news reader,

Pat

By: Comfort Okeize, USA

Comfort Okeize, USA — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:38:28 +0000

And it was the man that sold Nigeria house in the US. Madueke, what a shame

By: Comfort Okeize, USA

Comfort Okeize, USA — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:37:06 +0000

I cant remember amnesty as one of MEND’s demand. Yara Adua and cohorts have only succeeded looting. MEND, since you are now criminals, when are you commencing the killings of Hausas in the region? Arewa is still sending more troops, so what are you waiting for?

By: Moses Tom

Moses Tom — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:36:41 +0000

I must first appreciate the effort of the C- N -C for the initiative but the composition of the teams leave something to pounder about. Does it mean that the religious leaders has nothing to offer in the teams, or no more credible clericks both Christians and Muslims? Among those mentioned how many of them are consellors? I happened to process a certificate in DDR, Disarmament, demobiizations and re -integration. The question is why cant the government request for input from the general public? Also, people like Admiral Mike Aigbei and co should have be part of the team, we are all stake holders in the Nigeria project. These bogus names does not reflect seriousness in the project, all the members are big name sand not even a single junior people who are in tune with the mind set of the youths as themselves, there are junior military officers infact senior non commissions who are better off than some of these big names, they are vast, graduates in social sciences, law etc. No officer of the Military Intelligence nor Mp, no chaplain or imam or grassroots persons. We must refocuse if we are to achieve peace in the region. A right step in the right direction it is and the military operation should continue concomitantly with the projects but with cautions and full blast after the expiration of the grace period if the so called militants failed to show up. Good luck.

By: Chris Nnadede

Chris Nnadede — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:36:20 +0000

This so called amnesty arrangement is a bribery that pays the briber more than the bribed.

Out of the N50,000,000,000.00, the so called “millitant” receives amount less than $2000. -about N217,000.. That’s it. And the rest go to all the people that populate the bribing scheme.

Then the big clauses in fine prints – the amnesty is not for people with crime records;
- then there’s a holding camp. Who will stay in this camp, and for how long?
- then job offers for security jobs along the pipelines.
- then Peace and Harmony in Nigeria written undertaking.

WOW, WOW!!!!

Not even one mention has been made of reparations for life and properties destroyed by the JTF?

No mention was made about the real causes of the fight by MEND.

THIS IS A TYPICAL HAUSA MENTALITY.

There’s one State that has more off-shore producing wells in Nigeria called Abia State. There are more off-shore wells in Owaza in Ukwa, Abia, than anywhere, and just because the people of Abia are not yet talking, Umaru Yar’Adua excluded Abia in his bribe circle. Abia State is part of NDDC. I bet many don’t know this. And then, IMO State also.

It’s not important who is included because the process and its approach are borne out of Hausa/ Fulani arrogance and ignorance.

Look how much money can be saved if it was announced that every so called “militant ” may walk up to their local government and pick up a voucher or gift card worth N211,000.00 for appeasement and getting rid of SUPER BUREAUCRACY.

By: ade ajayi

ade ajayi — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:15:23 +0000

This is another show of shame ,yaradua have got it totally rough ,Niger delta problem is not about giving a man a fish is about teaching him how to fish believe me this is just the beginning of another item number seven on the agenda (menu,menu,menu) until the fundamental issue raised by militant for reason why they have taken to gun and why the previous government policies on Niger delta has failed.

By: Peter Muofunanya

Peter Muofunanya — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:39:03 +0000

I am totally in support of the Nigerian government’s package for amnesty to the militants in Niger delta. It is high time the militants in Niger delta know that militancy is an outdated means to achieve peace. No nations achieves peace though war- war or jaw –jaw.

Their action does not help their people rather it compounds there problems and this can be compared with the Obasango’s government that set Nigeria 20 years backwards politically as a nation. Those who have not traveled outside Nigeria will not understand the bad image the kidnapping is causing Nigeria.

I urge the militants to lay down their guns and embrace peace.
God bless naiaja.
Peter Muofunanya
Accra Ghana

By: vico

vico — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:17:48 +0000

Can Nigerians advice Yar’adua that setting committees with all these big names and jumbo take up grants is not the solution to Niger Delta militancy. Another ‘carnival’ is about commencing. These guys will end-up looting the entire fund and nothing is substantial is achieved. FG is making militants look like ‘common criminal’. MEND have not compliant of re-integration.

By: JAKOTA

JAKOTA — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:33:15 +0000

GIVEN MONEY FOR AMNESTY MEANS BRIBERY
50 billion for militant: NIGERIA NA WAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

By: JAKOTA

JAKOTA — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:29:15 +0000

ANOTHER WASTING OF RESOURCE:
The Federal government should realise that given this money to the criminal is not the answer to the problem of niger delta region. 50 billion naira is enough to take care some problems of niger delta instead of wasting on on criminal who are fighting for their own selfish interest.

Let us ask government this question, how much FG budgeted for so called niger delta ministry? is it up to 50 billion NIGERIAN LETS WAKE UP Federal government is try to stop people giving and collecting bribe, but now FG want to be given criminals bribe. FG SHOULD GET READY FOR TEH PROBE BY EFCC FOR BRIBING CRIMINALS.

The government should use this money to provide infrastructure, good road, reliable security, portable water and also improve the life of oil rich community in niger delta.

By: Chuka

Chuka — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:54:25 +0000

Nigerians need to apologise posthumously to Anini. Oyenusi and other “militants” executed as armed robbers.