Former Head of Department at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and Professor of English and Literature, Professor Tony Afejuku is a household name in the Niger Delta struggle. In this interview, the blunt defender of the rights of his Itsekiri people, critic of the President Umaru Yar’Adua policies in the Niger Delta and controversial commentator on contemporary issues, says the amnesty programme of the Federal Government will fail.

Tension is building up afresh in the Niger Delta after the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) declared on Friday that it was ending its 90-day cease fire. It told oil companies and the military to brace up for renewed attacks. The following reports examine the events surrounding the latest development.

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar’Adua on Thursday, June 26, 2009 proclaimed the unconditional amnesty to all Niger Delta militants in the creeks and those facing prosecution in the law courts.

I was injured in one of our Olympic qualifiers ie against Cote d’Ivoire. And the match was played here at the National Stadium. I was deliberately kicked by an opponent from behind. Initially, I thought it was just a minor injury.

Medium Term 2009-2013•Providing appropriate support to the efforts of the Federal Government to establish and carry through a credible DDR process which embodies resocialisation, capacity building and skills acquisition for ex-militants in the Niger Delta.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITIES   SHOULD: I. Discourage further establishment of new militant camps by organising enlightenment campaigns to sensitise community people about   DDR process ; 2. Commit to participate in the DDR process ; 3. Expose criminal elements and their sponsors within communities. MILITANTS  SHOULD: 1.Support the DDR process by committing to enter and respect agreements reached. […]

If the Federal Government is serious about resolving the Niger Delta problem, (Post Amnesty ) now is the time to revisit the way forward – contained in the Niger Delta Technical Committee Report (NDTC) or (The Ledum Mitee Report) presented to the President in December 2008.

If the fingerprints, ballistic and biology (DNA profiling) sections of the Nigeria Police Forensic Laboratory could be developed to world-class standard, cases of violent crimes will be reduced

In screening nominees for the award, the committee looks out for the individual’s and organization’s creativity, skill and efficiency. The whole idea is simply to encourage those excelling in their fields to keep remaining at the top, tell those not yet there “someone is watching you and you can strive to be there by putting more effort”.

By Emma Amaize , George Onah & Sam Oyadongha FORTY three years ago, precisely on February 23, 1966, Isaac Adaka Boro, who headed an organization known as Niger Delta Volunteer Force, NDVF, told his field commanders – Samuel Owunaru and Nottingham Dick – that the die was cast. It was at a camp called Touton […]