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Scraping Niger Delta Amnesty Programme Will Lead To Trouble, Edwin Clark Warns

Ex-Niger Delta militants have also threatened to shut down oil pipelines, government houses, and the National Assembly over plans by National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, to end the programme.

Edwin Clark, leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, has warned the Nigerian Government against scrapping the Presidential Amnesty Programme, saying it would lead to trouble in the country, a report by TheCable, said.

Clark gave the warning at a virtual press conference, adding that bringing an end to the amnesty programme will disrupt the fragile peace in the region.

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Ex-Niger Delta militants have also threatened to shut down oil pipelines, government houses, and the National Assembly over plans by National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, to end the programme.

Monguno was directed to probe the programme after allegations of financial misappropriation.

Clark said, “I have cause to, again, advise or warn the federal government to desist from anything that will truncate the fragile peace that we have in the Niger Delta region.

“I say this because rumours were rife that the four-man investigative panel headed by A. A. Lawal, set up by the federal government through the office of the national security adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), to look into the activities of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, had recommended the scrapping of the programme by December this year.

“If this is true, it will be an epic example of what we say in local parlance ‘trouble dey sleep, yanga go wake am’. This is not a threat; it is stating the obvious of what will actually happen.

“Our living condition in the region has worsened. The PAP should be allowed to continue for some more time. I wish to advise the Federal Government to tread cautiously, except they have prepared another Operation Crocodile Smile. Wake not a sleeping lion. This is not a threat; it is a clarion call for peace.”

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Niger Delta