Over 200 repentant Niger Delta militants staged a peaceful protest at the Ukanafun Local Government Headquarters in Ikot Akpankuk, Akwa Ibom State, accusing the federal government of failing to honor the 2009 amnesty deal that led to their disarmament. Led by Udom Ebetor under the aegis of the Ukanafun Freedom Fighters (UFF), the protesters carried placards with inscriptions demanding urgent federal intervention in addressing issues of welfare, job creation, and empowerment promised in the amnesty agreement.
One placard read, “The federal government has failed to keep its words in training and empowering the ex-militants to become economically self-reliant.” Another accused officials of the amnesty office of tribal discrimination, alleging that militants from the Akwa Ibom axis were marginalized.
Ebetor, who led the Supreme Council of Niger State (SUCOND) to surrender arms in 2009, revealed that many militants had initially refused to disarm due to skepticism about the federal government’s sincerity. He lamented the continued plight of ex-militants in Akwa Ibom, claiming that while others benefited from the program, local leaders neglected their people’s welfare.
Having undergone amnesty training in Vietnam, Ebetor denied any involvement in cultism or criminal activities. He urged the protesters to remain peaceful and avoid illegal acts, warning that the protest was a result of prolonged neglect.
“The protest is a call to the federal government to act before the issue escalates,” he stated.
Addressing the protesters, Paul Mel Udoh, Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officer (COMO) for the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Ukanafun LGA, assured them that their demands would be transmitted to Abuja. He promised that the federal government would address their grievances.
