Senate hails Yar'Adua over amnesty programme

The Nigeria Senate yesterday, praised Nigerian President, Umaru Yar'Adua, for successfully completing the first phase of the amnesty programme in the Niger Delta region. This followed a motion sponsored by Nimi Barigha-Amange (PDP Bayelsa state) and Grace Bent (PDP Adamawa state) and 55 others, as co-sponsors.

Arguing his motion, Mr. Amange recalled how the militancy started nine years ago by various militant groups to have a share in the oil wealth got from the region. He said the people of the Niger Delta were, for nine years, under the siege of militant groups and successive governments failed to disarm the erstwhile militants through confrontation.

"But President Yar'Adua, being a man of peace, was able to quell the agitations and subsequently disarm the militants without shedding a single drop of blood as against armed confrontations by previous governments," Mr. Amange said. "It takes a man of peace to create amity between two groups, communities or nations." He also absolved Mr. Yar'Adua of blame for the crises in the region. "The neglect or apathy of human and infrastructural development of the Niger Delta is not a misdeed of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua but various government of the past 49 years," Mr. Amange said.

The motion was overwhelmingly supported by the senators, who all commended Mr. Yar'Adua for bringing peace to the troubled region for the first time in nine years and resolved to send Mr. President a letter of commendation.

Do not relent

The senators, although happy with the success achieved thus far, further asked the Federal Government to pursue the next phases of the programme in order to sustain the peace achieved.

Nkechi Nwaogu (PDP Abia state) said the disarming of the Niger Delta militants who had hitherto caused the insecurity in the region and other parts of Nigeria deserves commendation. She, however, warned the government not to be carried away by the success of the amnesty, stressing that government must ensure the fulfilment of the provisions of the amnesty.

"This is a first phase towards having a lasting peace in the region," She said. "The government should also know that agitation in the Niger Delta has been as a result of unfulfilled promises which were as a result of not doing what should be done. We should not sit back and enjoy the peace; we must not renege on the promises contained in the amnesty programme. The issue of armed group in the Niger Delta has been a worry to all of us. Most of us leaving with it can now heave a sigh of relief."