By Kenneth Ehigiator

ABUJA—The Federal Government yesterday warned that it would to seek repatriation and prosecution of ex-militants for misconduct in their offshore training centres overseas.

This came as 142 new set of ex-militants departed Lagos for vocational and academic training in South Africa and Abu Dhabi in United Arab Emirate, UAE.

Government’s warning came against the backdrop of Wednesday’s deportation of six ex-militants from Sri Lanka for misconduct, ranging from fighting to extortion.

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, who issued the warning at the pre-departure briefing of the new set, lamented that the misconduct of some of the ex-militants was making it difficult for government to secure visas for others still on the waiting list of 26,358 to travel for their training abroad.

About 2,000 of the ex-militants are currently undergoing educational and vocational training in U.S, South Africa, Poland, Russia, Malaysia, Dubai in UAE, India, Sri Lanka and Ghana, amongst others. 

He said the deported ex-militants would have their names struck off the amnesty register, their allowances, including Transitional Safety Allowance, TSA, stopped and identification cards withdrawn.

Kuku, who was represented by his Technical Assistant on Re-integration, Larry Pepple, said those deported would also have their names on the country’s security watch list for the next 10 years.

He disclosed that the Amnesty Office had secured 50 per cent Presidential approval for payment of the Transitional Safety Allowance to the ex-militants, and charged those who left for South Africa last night not to make the mistake made by their colleagues in Sri Lanka that necessitated their deportation.