Lagos/Abuja — Wole Soyinka was on Tuesday named by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) among those to negotiate with Abuja on disarmament, bringing credibility to the process, as well as hope of a lasting peace in the Deep South.
Others in the 'Aaron Team,' as the MEND puts it, are Mike Akhigbe, Luke Kakadu Aprezi, and Sabella Ogbobode Abidde, as well as Annkio Briggs who will liaise on its behalf with these personalities who have volunteered to ensure a just resolution of the Niger Delta question.
But the government laughed it off after President Umaru Yar'Adua met for two hours with the Amnesty Panel and insisted that Abuja will not extend the October 4 deadline for militants to hand in their arms.
It dismissed the threat by the MEND to resume attacks on oil installations, and warned that such would be matched with necessary action.
The government's position was disclosed to reporters after the meeting by Defence Minister and Amnesty Panel Chairman, Godwin Abbe, who was accompanied by Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, and Inspector General of Police, Ogbonnaya Onovo.
Others who attended the meeting included Vice President Goodluck Jonathan; Niger Delta Minister, Ufot Ekaette; Niger Delta Minister of State, Godsday Orubebe; Chief of Defence Staff, Paul Dike; Governors Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa); Deputy Governors Amos Utuama (Delta) and Tele Ikuru (Rivers).
Abbe declared that the government does not recognise the MEND as speaking for entire militants or for the nation, and would not allow it to dictate the terms of the amnesty.
He said militants cannot discuss with the government while carrying arms because they must accept the amnesty unconditionally.
His words: "We have now concluded that all the militants who have embraced the amnesty deserve commendation as patriots of this country, and to believe that between now and October 4 if there are other militants who are still in doubt as to the sincerity of government to make use of this opportunity by embracing the amnesty, because after October 4 the amnesty terminates and there will be no extension.
"The government is firm, resolute, and will continue with the subsequent aspects of the rehabilitation and reintegration of all those who have embraced amnesty.
"The MEND is not recognised by the Federal Government as the spokesperson for the militants, that is if it exists at all physically. The MEND cannot choose for the Nigerian nation.
"If the MEND decides to test the will of the government and choose to threaten the very existence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the government is prepared to defend the sovereignty of Nigeria in all its ramifications."
Abbe said after the amnesty has expired, the government will pay attention to repentant militants who will be put together in camps.
"Personal contacts will be established with each of them after thorough documentation and their choice of training and settlements will also be identified.
"The government is willing to train them and to join them in any rehabilitation effort that will bring about their going into life as normal citizens without resorting to militancy."
The MEND stressed, regardless, that its mediators "will be known as the Aaron Team and have our mandate to oversee a transparent and proper MEND disarmament process.
"The MEND disarmament process will only come after the root causes of militancy and agitation in the Niger Delta have been addressed by the Nigerian government," MEND Spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, said in a statement.
He insisted that the amnesty "lacks integrity," but added that "some eminent Nigerians have graciously accepted to dialogue on behalf of the (MEND) with the government whenever the government realises the need to adopt serious, meaningful dialogue as a means to halting the violent agitation in the Niger Delta.
"The government so far has not shown willingness to dialogue, preferring instead to make wild, unrealistic threats, purchase more useless military hardware, and dole out bribes to traitors to our noble cause as has been obvious in its so-called disarmament process.
"The hope for peace in the Niger Delta and Nigeria in general now rests squarely on the shoulders of the Nigerian Government."
In the ding dong affair, the MEND had itself declared a ceasefire that was to expire on September 15, but later extended to October 15.
Presidential Adviser on the Niger Delta, Timi Alaibe, has said that over 6,000 militants have signed up for the amnesty - but the leaders, including Ateke Tom and Government Ekpemopolo (Tompolo), are yet to surrender.
Both Ateke and Tompolo want the amnesty extended by at least three months to allow more dialogue on their demands, including the withdrawal of troops from the Niger Delta.
It emerged last weekend that the fear for his life is the key reason Tompolo is yet to accept the olive branch.
Abbe recently visited Okporoza to persuade him to surrender his arms and ammunition. Tompolo canvassed a three-month extension to enable interest groups reach a compromise.
Sources said he is worried that the government may not guarantee his safety if he decides to surrender his weapons.
Among the demands put forward by him are the creation of more states and councils for the Ijaw, opening up of the oil and gas industry to allow for indigenous participation, and allocation of oil blocks to oil bearing communities.
However, Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, has also implored all communities, persons or groups still holding arms to surrender them by October 4, as there would be no going back on the deadline.
He told journalists in Warri last Sunday that, "Yar'Adua is not extending the date by one day. It is a Presidential proclamation, it is publicly signed, and the date is in the proclamation, so it is in the interest of those still having arms to bring them out."
He said the surrender of arms is not targeted at any particular community or ethnic group, explaining that all communities, groups or persons who have arms should give them up now that there is still time to do so.
Uduaghan reiterated that the military is prepared to comb the creeks for arms at the expiration of the amnesty.
"Let me appeal to every Deltan, no matter the ethnic group you belong to, this is your opportunity to surrender your arms and you will be covered under the amnesty.
"If you have the guns in your farm, inside water, or buried anywhere, if it is a community gun, individual gun or cult group, you should bring it out because after October 4, the military has prepared to go for the arms wherever they are."
He added that the arms could be surrendered quietly, away from the media, and commended communities that have given up their arms as well as those planning to do so.
Uduaghan also spoke on the issue at a thanksgiving service for the 49th anniversary of Nigeria's independence held at the Church of St. Peter Anglican Cathedral in Asaba.
"Please, lay down your arms because after the expiration on October 4, the Federal Government will not tolerate militancy any longer," he stressed.
"The state government (will also) strengthen its information network to track down robbers and other criminal elements. We will be going to houses and hotels to fish out armed robbers; so if you are a landlord, you must know your tenants.
"If we arrest an armed robber in your house or hotel, it means you have questions to answer before the security agents."
The Primate Elect of the Anglican Communion, Nicholas Okoh, told the congregation that unless those at the helm of affairs change their attitude, have the fear of God, shun thuggery, snatching of ballot boxes, assassinations, treasury looting, Nigeria would remain backward, "even if it celebrates 1,000 years anniversary."
However, another reason the MEND does not trust Yar'Adua is that the government has recently been buying hundreds of millions of Dollars worth of sophisticated weaponry and military hardware in preparation for a new offensive in the creeks.
As reported by Daily Independent on September 15, Director of the African Security Research Project in Washington, Daniel Volman, confirmed that Israeli and Russian instructors have been "providing specialised training to Nigerian Navy and Air Force sailors and pilots on how to operate the ships and helicopters over the past few months, and some of these instructors may help operate them during the offensive."
He said the arms stockpile "includes deals worth $25 million for two 24.8-metre Shaldag MK-2 patrol boats from the Israeli firm, Israel Shipyards - one has already been delivered and the other is on its way - and another deal involves air and sea drones from Aeronautica Ventures, another Israeli company.
"Shaldag MK-20 patrol boats are generally armed with artillery guns and machine guns. Eighty Nigerian sailors are presently being trained in counterinsurgency operations at the northern Israeli port of Haifa."
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