3rd Phase Nat’l Chair Ogidigba Warns Itsekiri Group Against Unguided Protests, Unnecessary Noise About PAP

By Monday Peters, Abuja

The Chairman of Phase 3 Presidential Amnesty Programme Delegates Forum, General Godstime Ogidigba, has cautioned an Itsekiri group protesting for the position of Administrator and Special Adviser to the President on the programme. Ogidigba emphasised that the Amnesty Programme is a privilege, not a right, stemming from the Ijaw historical struggle for resource control and justice in the Niger Delta.

He questioned the Itsekiri group’s understanding of the programme’s origin, highlighting that it was established to reintegrate former Ijaw militants who surrendered arms and stabilize the region. Ogidigba noted that many Ijaw communities were bombarded, youths lost their lives, and families were displaced during the struggle.

The General urged stakeholders to respect the programme’s purpose and history, advising against trivializing it or creating unnecessary controversy on social media. He emphasized the need for constructive dialogue and a clear understanding of the programme’s context.

“I want to use this medium to address the misguided protests circulating on social media by some Itsekiri women demanding the position of Administrator and Special Adviser to the President of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

“It is unfortunate that responsible women from a respected kingdom are seen protesting without a proper understanding of the history and purpose of the Amnesty Programme. The orchestrators of this protest appear to lack adequate knowledge of how the programme came into existence.

“The Presidential Amnesty Programme is not the same as other intervention agencies such as the NDDC Board, the Niger Delta Ministry, the Local Content Board, or the South–South Development Commission, where leadership positions can be occupied by individuals from any part of the region.

“The Amnesty Programme was specifically created for about 30,000 delegates, largely from the Ijaw ethnic nationality, who took up arms during the Niger Delta struggle against the Federal Government of Nigeria in pursuit of resource control and justice for the region.

“During that struggle, many Ijaw youths lost their lives. Numerous Ijaw communities were bombarded, families were displaced, homes were destroyed, and many women were left widowed. The programme was therefore established as part of the peace process to reintegrate former militants and stabilize the region.

“For those demanding that the Itsekiri people should head the Amnesty Office, it is important to ask a few questions:

“How many Itsekiri communities were bombarded by the Federal Government during the agitation?

“How many Itsekiri youths voluntarily surrendered arms under the Amnesty Programme?

“How many Itsekiri militant camps were destroyed by federal forces during the conflict?

The answers to these questions are clear.

“Therefore, it is important to understand that participation in the Amnesty Programme is a privilege that arose from a specific historical struggle. Instead of creating unnecessary controversy on social media, all stakeholders should respect the origin and purpose of the programme.

Moving forward, it is advised that the Amnesty Programme should not be trivialized or turned into a subject of social media agitation. Constructive dialogue and a clear understanding of history should guide discussions on such sensitive matters”, he added.