The Nation
4 October 2011
•Amnesty in the Niger Delta has recorded gains; but vigilance is necessary
THAT there is relative peace in the Niger Delta region has made many Nigerians to forget what the situation in that part of the country was like before October 4, 2009. Perhaps not even the Federal Government remembers that it is exactly two years ago today, that the amnesty declared by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua for militants in the Niger Delta took effect.
Why would anyone remember now? After all, there are no serious cases of kidnapping in the area as was witnessed prior to the declaration of amnesty. Most important, there is more money now coming into the coffers of the Federal Government.
We may not roll out the drums to mark the second anniversary of the declaration of amnesty. But this should at least be a period for stock-taking, with a view to consolidating on the gains made so far in the region, so that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past and trigger off another cycle of restiveness there.
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