Some militants, who benefitted from amnesty programme, have gone back to crime – JTF

Headlines Nov 20, 2010

Militant leader, Tamunotonye Kuna, aka Obese, and 63 others arrested by Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, (JTF)
By Jimitota Onoyume
As JTF arrests  militant leader, 62 others

The  Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, (JTF), has paraded a militant leader, Tamunotonye Kuna,  aka Obese, and 63 others arrested during their operations to clean up the region of  criminals masquerading as militants.

Addressing journalists at the Air Force Base, Port Harcourt, commander of the JTF in the region, Major General Charles Omoregie, said the militants that were paraded  were behind the recent wave of unrest in the Niger Delta. Omoregie, who dismissed claims in some quarters that there was oil war in the region,  said the JTF was gradually wiping the region clean of unwanted elements.

The JTF also paraded a huge cache of arms and ammunition  recovered during their operation.  They included 45 AK47, 12 general purpose machine guns and assorted ammunition. Also recovered were military uniforms,  boots, computers, life vests, arm badges bearing Movement for
the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).

Omoregie said it was regrettable that some militants that benefitted from the Federal Government amnesty programme had gone back to crime in the region, stressing that there was no basis for such. His words, “there is no course for any war in the Niger Delta, but I went further to say that criminality will be eradicated in the Niger Delta.

The issues of emancipation and all that are gone with the amnesty programme put in place by the federal government, but we discovered that even some of those militants granted pardon have all gone back to the creeks to resume criminality.

Like I mentioned, it includes r a p e, piracy, sea robbery and the worst monster; kidnapping. We are all witnesses to the 19 people who were kidnapped and released few days ago.”

“Some people doubt the capabilities of these boys as mentioned in my brief and that is why I have brought you here today to see the array of weapons that were recovered from this last operation.

These weapons were recovered from about three or four camps that were being run by the leader, Obese Kuna, who released those 19 hostages to us from his camp and volunteered to give himself up. He is the leader of this group; he is the one who did all those kidnappings.”

“But most worrisome is that Obese had accepted amnesty before now, this is his car that shows that he has been fully registered and receiving government’s allowances, based on the agreement of the amnesty. It becomes really worrisome that after accepting amnesty and being included in the programme, why go back to the creeks?

However, we have brought them out of the creek and we hope they will not go back to the creeks”

According to the JTF boss, during their operation they also recovered N673000 from the camps of the militants.  Fielding questions from newsmen, the JTF boss said those arrested would be handed over to the State Security Service for further investigation.

Dreaded leader of the militant group, Obese said he actually benefitted from the federal government amnesty programme. But that he was forced to go back to his old ways when his former leader, Farah Dagogo allegedly abandoned him.

According to him, he was in touch with Henry Okah who is on trial in South Africa for the twin bomb blast in Abuja on October 1st this year. He spoke of Okah as his major strength in militancy operations. Obese who sounded remorseful apologised for abductions he had carried out in the region.

He was behind the recent abduction of staff of a multinational oil firm in Akwa Ibom state that regained their freedom last week Wednesday.

Gen Omoregie is not an Hausa man
NSA Gen Azazzi is not Hausa
President Jonathan is not Hausa

But all of them recognise the criminality in ND must stop so that all Nigerians in ND can live a life of freedom and happiness.

Why can't Beaf recognise this fact.

Perhaps the question is what is the "Fact" here? Do you mind posting a link for your source?

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/criminals-can%E2%80%99t-give-us-conditions-%E2%80%94-fg-jtf/

I get mad each time beaf points accusing fingers at northerners.Evidence of such can come up in future but right now it is best we accept our responsibility and not use IBB as cover up for our general lapses.

Abagworo:

I get mad each time beaf points accusing fingers at northerners.Evidence of such can come up in future but right now it is best we accept our responsibility and not use IBB as cover up for our general lapses.

thank u Abagworo, he is never honest with himself, shame on him

alj harem:

thank u Abagworo, he is never honest with himself, shame on him

Sorry but beaf is my brother and friend while you are wicked.You keep justifying the killing of Igbos without reason in the North.

Lol @ abiagworo and homoharem

The whole claim of real, fake or Alamajiri MEND was always childish.

It did not add up one bit and never made sense to me.

Funny people, funny thread.

I have noticed that the posters on this thread tend to be the very same people who declared that Chima Orlu and Ben Jessy were fake. . . That was until the lead terrorist mentioned them in a sworn affidavit; in fact, he went so far as to say the Chima Orlu once lived with him. In other words, most posters on this thread are people who either feed on rumour, or bigotry, or they are the types who rush to conclusions only to look silly later.

6 people have been arrested for carrying out the recent kidnappings, while another 51 have been arrested for habouring the hostages. Will our usual rumour mongers be patient enough to hear the results of investigations? No! I guess pepper soup joint level chatter serves them better.

I repeat, anybody fighting in the creeks now is either an armed robber or if they claim to be MEND, then they are sponsored. Period.

Abagworo:

Sorry but beaf is my brother and friend while you are wicked.You keep justifying the killing of Igbos without reason in the North.

he is also your brother.