Ex Niger Delta agitators condemn attack on amnesty programme boss

Brown is the Head of Reintegration of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

The former agitators say Brown was attacked because of “the unwholesome jostling by interested parties for the plump job of Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.”

The group made this known through a statement issued to the media.

Leader of the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Solidarity Front, Comrade Ramsey Mukoro said the organization thought it necessary to speak in defense of Aroloye Brown based on the strength of his track record in managing the sensitive and thankless job of the reintegration of ex-agitators back into society.

“We wish to state categorically, that we condemn the attacks on Chief Brown by those who think they are better placed to manage the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

"It is regrettable that a man like Brown would be attacked on the pages of newspapers as part of a strategic pull-him-down campaign being waged against him in the name of succession politics.

"This is a man who has not only demonstrated exceptional competence, through the years, on the reintegration aspect of the Amnesty Programme but also has an enduring history of championing the Niger Delta cause right from the formation of the Ijaw Youth Council and without any fraud associated with his name. How can we let this happen to him?” he lamented.

According to the statement, which was also signed by other ex-agitators who include Moses Akasa, Andamor Trust, Parker Timilaemi and Godspower Adubagha, the group wondered why Brown, who according to him allegedly suffered severe relegation and injustice on account of his forthrightness from the suspended leadership of the Amnesty Programme, should be further subjected to public ridicule.

“It is completely unacceptable. This was a man whose honesty in promoting the core mandate of the programme brought him nothing but relegation and hardship. He was denied his due benefits and ostracised from the system for no other reason than insisting on doing the right things under Dokubo. Where were his blackmailers when he was in the struggle for a better deal for the Niger Delta even before IYC was formed?

“It is unfortunate that the jostle for power has brought us to this pathetic situation where truth is no longer truth. We are speaking among ourselves and will make a bolder statement on this soon.

"But it is important to say that the job of the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme must be reserved for a level headed person, who is passionate for development and will bring our people together,” the statement read.

On Friday February 29, 2020 President Buhari approved the suspension of the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Prof. Charles Quakers Dokubo following recommendations from the National Security Adviser (NSA) General Mohammed Babagana Monguno (rtd) over allegations of corruption.

Since then, a caretaker committee which has brought relative stability to the organization, while sanitizing its books, has managed the presidential amnesty programme.

As efforts intensify within the Niger Delta to pick a replacement for Dokubo, stakeholders are of the view that the use of any ex-agitator will spell doom for the region as it could lead to unwholesome rivalry among leading ex-agitators and possible gang wars in the region.

Feelers also reveal that the suspended amnesty boss may return to office once given a clean bill by the caretaker committee.