MILITARY AND NIGER DELTA EX-MILITANTS CLASH, ONE KILLED October 12, 2016

A detachment of troops of the joint

military force deployed to the Niger
Delta, Operation Delta Safe on Tuesday
morning dispersed hundreds of ex-
militants who blocked the East-West
road with fire arms injuring one of the
ex-militants.
The ex-militants who reportedly fall
under phases 1 to 3 of the amnesty
scheme blocked the Mbiama axis of the
East-West road to motorists at about
6.30 am, Tuesday morning.
Respite, however, came to the trapped
motorists when armed troops of the
joint task force arrived in two patrol
vans to remove the blockade and open
the road to the public at around 7.30
am.
The soldiers fired several warning shots
into the air which compelled the protest­
ers to scamper to several directions to
safety.
Mr Elliot Seimiebo, an ex-militant who is
on the phase 1 of the amnesty scheme
said on Tuesday morning that the
soldiers had used the firearms to
disperse the peaceful protest aimed at
drawing the attention to the neglect of
their welfare.
“We had renounced violence and
remain peaceful in all our approaches;
our intention was to draw attention to
the nonpayment of our stipends for four
months.
“We were not armed but the soldiers
turned their weapons on us and there
was confusion as people ran for their
lives, one of the protesters was hit by
stray bullet and got injured on his leg,”
Seimiebo said.
When contacted, Lt.-Cdr. Thomas Otuji,
spokesman of Operation Delta Safe said
that the claims that protesters were
shot was untrue.
“Our troops were sent to the scene to
ensure free flow of traffic and they went
there to clear the blockade on the East-
West road and there is no such report at
my disposal as we speak, the protesters
were professionally dispersed” Otuji
said by phone.
Also Mr Piriye Kirayamo, Liason Officerat
the Amnesty Office in Yenagoa sais that
the office was aware of the liability to
the militants but assured that efforts
were underway to clear the backlog of
stipends.
“We have been in discussions with the
ex-agitators and have been appealing
to them to remain calm, the office is
doing everything to ensure that their
stipends are paid,” Kiyaramo said.