By GABRIEL  ENOGHOLASE

BENIN—NO fewer than 2,000 ex- militants from 11 camps in Edo State, yesterday, stormed Benin, the state capital, protesting their non-inclusion in the third phase of the Federal Government’s amnesty programme for Niger Delta former militants.

The youths threatened to blow-up oil facilities in the state, if the Federal Government refused to include them in the amnesty programe, which they said others had been enjoying since they laid down their arms following government directive to that effect.

Spokesman for the ex-militants, Richard Obe, of the Niger Delta Freedom Group Force, who spoke with newsmen at the premises of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Benin, said: “After this protest, we might shut down all the oil producing companies operating in our area. All we are saying is, we have come to air our views to the people of Nigeria. After today (yesterday), we might shut down Dubril Oil Company in Gelegele.”

Accusing the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator on Amnesty, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, of politicking with the amnesty issue, he said: “The amnesty we know, was not politics, but I have come to understand that amnesty today is for politics and we don’t want amnesty to be politicised.”