By Emmanuel Elebeke

ABUJA—The Presidential Amnesty Office, PAO, says it is seeking Presidential approval to disarm interested pipeline vandals in Arepo area of Lagos and other affected Niger Delta region.

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the amnesty programme, Brig. Gen. Paul Boro (rtd), revealed this yesterday in Abuja, also reaffirming his earlier position that the amnesty programme would be terminated in two years.

Brig. Boro said the planned disarmament was conceived as part of ongoing efforts by the Amnesty Office to actualize its objective of sustainable peace in the oil region and Nigeria as a whole, adding that it would only be restricted to those youths  willing to lay down their arms in the interest of peace in the country.

“We hear of some persons wanting to disarm at Arepo, and we have written to the appropriate authority to allow us disarms them. There are also some elements that want to do same in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. They are some of those persons that were left and displaced in Bakkasi and are willing to disarm as well.

“It is moreso, because the amnesty programme is succeeding. It is a good thing for Nigeria that some people want to disarm. Nigeria cannot be a country where arms litter everywhere especially UN does not want to associate with such nations,’’ Boro said.

According to him, about 1,500 persons have so far expressed interest to disarm in Arepo, while in Bakassi and other Niger Delta areas, the number of those to disarm is yet to be ascertained as verification is still ongoing.