Chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria, FEHN, Mr. Allen Oyema, has called on the embattled militant leader, John Togo, to surrender to the federal authorities.

He advised John Togo to give himself up , so that men and women of goodwill in the country can make an appeal for him to escape the government’s wrath, warning that if he was captured,  he might not like the way he would be treated.

Mr. Oyema made this appeal while briefing newsmen in Obubra camp,  Cross River State on the occasion of the passing out parade of the 9th Batch of former militants, comprising of 1,200 men.

According to him, “my advice to him is that he should give it up. John Togo should embrace reason and give it up now. If he needs our help, we, all of us, men and women of goodwill in this country, will plead with the government to give him respite.

But he must show that he is ready for peace. I don’t think giving conditions at this point will work. He should just give peace a chance and submit himself to dialogue. There are people who are willing to help Togo out of the woods.

We, as an organisation,  are ready to see how he can be transformed and at the same time, become a productive citizen of this country. We are not saying he should be killed or destroyed. We are ready to help create a useful John Togo, who will become an agent of change for others to follow.

“I believe that if we are able to  train Togo, the way we trained Fara and Boyloaf, I am sure if such a person comes out tomorrow to preach to the youths,  such a person will be listened to, because they would look at him as a violent person before now talking about peace.

That is what Fara Dagogo and Boyloaf are doing now. Both sought transformation and got it. They are today talking to other youths and helping in bringing about peace in the region,” he  said.

So if the government is ready to give him the olive branch, fine, but Togo should not give government conditions.

If he willingly gives up himself, because as far asa allow him to be trained and transformed. FEHN on our own part, we are ready to do that for him.”

On allegations that some ex_militants could be involved in recent violent actitvities, he dismissed it as mere allegations.

His words: “The allegation is a ruse. No transformed person in the Obubra camp has been found in any robbery scene, not even one. I think what happened was that when people embraced amnesty before October 4 and before October 4, they were given ID cards.

This cards stated from the moment they declared for amnesty. The cards in question were of those who embraced amnesty before October 4 and registered before then, not for people who have been to Obubra for the transformational programme and left. No one transformed person has been involved in robbery since the beginning of this programme. It is a big lie.”