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Visibly angry ex-militants, protesting the shabby
handling of the post-amnesty programme, stormed the Nigeria Union of
Journalists (NUJ) Press Center in Warri, Delta State, yesterday,
causing pandemonium among the residents and passers-by in the area.

The ex-militants, who came in large numbers, blocked
all entrance to the Marine Quarters, where the press center is located,
causing road users and residents to scamper to safety, just as
motorists make a detour to other routes.

Carrying various placards, they threatened to go back
to the creeks as from August 5th, 2010, if their demands were not met
by the Federal Government.

The over 200 former warlords and their boys, led by
‘Generals’ Augustine Oges and Kingsley Muturu, among others, invaded
the No. 12, Gbiaye Street, temporary abode of the Warri Correspondent
Chapel of the NUJ, at about 4.30pm in a violent protest that lasted for
close to two hours.

Traffic was held up for several hours in the area as
the ex-militants mounted several barricades on the strategic road that
leads to Okumagba Avenue and other parts of the Oil City.

The protesters, who gave the Federal Government a
7-day ultimatum, which expires on the 5th of August, 2010, said the
federal government must set the machinery in motion to rehabilitate
their members or else they would return to the creeks.

They vowed to make the region ungovernable for the
various state governors and the Federal Government if their members are
not documented and engaged in the ongoing programmes.

Second phase of protest

Mr. Oges and other protesters told journalists that
despite the protest they held in Abuja, nothing has changed, and warned
that yesterday’s protest at the Press Centre was a follow-up to the one
held earlier this month in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise that a
second phase of documentation would be carried out to take care of them
and their members was yet to be fulfilled, and therefore, they could no
longer guarantee holding back their foot soldiers.

He denied media reports that they had apologised to the special adviser to the president on amnesty, Timi Alaibe.

“It is not true that we have apologised to Mr.
Alaibe. That report is completely untrue because we know that some boys
were given money to go back and make that apology. The situation is
still as it is and this (Warri Protest) is the next phase of our
action,” he said.

“We dropped our arms since October last year, but
nothing has happened to us since then. Hence, we stormed Abuja in July
7 to demand for proper documentation of our members who are yet to be
documented.

“Time is running out, and we do not want Timi to
handle the second phase of the amnesty. The president should allow
another competent Nigerian to handle this crucial phase of the amnesty.
Timi has paid some boys to come and apologise to him over the protest
to Abuja.

“We do not want him again, and we are appealing to the president to
beware for him not to rock the boat of his administration. We are
giving the president from now till August 5 to address our issue,
otherwise, we will go back to the creeks and make this country
ungovernable. Enough is enough,” he threatened.