AMNESTY OFFICE CONDEMNS ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS

August 8, 2012                           PRESS STATEMENT

 

 

The Presidential Amnesty Office strongly condemns Tuesday’s unprovoked attack on journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Warri, Delta State, by a group of miscreants masquerading as former Niger Delta agitators.

 

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head of Media and Communications, Mr Daniel Alabrah, the Amnesty Office dismissed the claim by the so-called protesters that they are being owed their monthly stipend.

 

For purposes of clarification, our records show that the so-called protesters, who claimed to be former agitators under Phase Two of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP, are not known to this office. Clearly, they are impostors trying to reap from the success of the amnesty programme.

 

Information available to us also shows that this was the same group that attacked the Benin NUJ secretariat last week and made similar claims.

 

Let us therefore restate the following:

1.     This group of miscreants is not part of the Phase Two of the amnesty programme. In reality, they are a part of the numerous groups clamouring to be absorbed into the programme under a third phase.

 

2.     The Amnesty Office is not owing any Niger Delta youth under the Presidential Amnesty Programme as their stipends are paid through their banks from the 25th of every month. The payment process is computerised and no one is paid by hand.

 

The Amnesty Office however notes the campaign of calumny and the attempt to blackmail the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, by some disgruntled elements for reasons best known to them.

 

“We have resolved to do what is best for the Niger Delta and Nigeria through the PAP. No amount of negative or hate campaign can make us lose focus.

 

“In furtherance of President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda for the country and our region, we will continue to work with the security agencies to foster peace and economic growth in the Niger Delta. The dividends of the amnesty proclamation have already ensured a steady rise in crude oil production, which only recently hit 2.7 million barrels per day,” Kuku said.

 

The Amnesty Office urges security agencies not be deterred and ensure miscreants do not breach the current peace in the Niger Delta and  that anyone caught fomenting trouble should be treated according to the extant laws of the country.

 

 

Daniel Alabrah

Head, Media and Communications

Abuja