Date Published: 10/07/09

End this terror in Bonny -Adonis Pepple

...Bonny people press for the release of members of Okoloma Ikpangi Gang still incarcerated

Rotimi Amaechi

It is indeed worrying to the residents of Bonny LGA that to this very last lapse into the Amnesty Offer to Militants and Warring Youths in the Niger Delta, there has been no official declaration by the armed group that shook Bonny Island and its environs to its core.

Calls have been made by various authorities in the Island Community to urge the fighting youths to take a cue from other war-lords in the region that have done so. The Bonny LGA Council Chairman Hon. Edward Pepple, the Chairman of Bonny Chiefs Council Chief Reginald F.P. Hart, the LGA Youth Council’s Chairman Mr Kingsley Adonis Pepple, are some of the leaders that has joined in this call. However, all of this has not yielded the desired response.

Concerted efforts to contact leaders of the Community on the way forward was made, one of the responses we got was from the Chairman of the National Youth of Nigeria Bonny Chapter Mr Kingsley Adonis Pepple who noted that it is unfortunate that to this day this situation has continued to linger.

According to him “The embrace of Amnesty by the armed group “OKOLOMA IKPANGI” led by Mr Bernard Wilcox and her parent body “IBANI INTELLIGENCE” led by the Perekule Palace Public Relations Officer Mr Mienye Hart is inevitable and the truest foundation for the sustenance of the new found peace in Bonny LGA and its Environs. Thus leaders of Bonny Community must make practical efforts to ensure that Amnesty and Disarmament is observed in Bonny.

Mr Adonis Pepple explained that the distrust that exist between the parties and the terror the people of Bonny Communities suffered is the only reason that seems to truncate this golden opportunity for lasting peace, “What happened in Bonny is not Militancy as widely portrayed and claimed but the deliberate deceit of youths and the unleashment of hell that followed the disappearance of their set goal.

This wild experiment was sponsored by leaders who believe this Nation has no laws. They are indeed the people whose denunciation of violence and embrace of Amnesty is crucial, if we must sustain this peace else they will always have youths to corner, arm and use, should they find a reason to do so.”

The OLGA Youth Boss lamented the shocks and trauma that the people of Bonny Community suffered and the inability of the people to relax over the anxiety that Post Amnesty measures shall pose. Mr Adonis Pepple admonished the members of the group Okoloma Ikpangi and Ibani Intelligence to accept the amnesty no matter the grey areas widely identified. As this he said “Would give Government the opportunity to evaluate its actions and reappraise its policies and at the same time leave the People with desired peace to mourn their lose ones, properties damaged and heal their wounds.

The Bonny LGA Youth Chairman seized the opportunity to plead with the Government to establish Counselling and trauma psychoanalysis centres in the affected Niger Delta Communities. He stressed that the offer of Amnesty and its acceptance by warring youths on its own is not a panacea to the Niger Delta unrest and pleaded with Mr President to take seriously the recommendations of the Ledum Mitee led Committee’s report.

Most importantly, The OLGA NYCN boss emphasised that there is a need to extend the Amnesty offer to the sponsors and facilitators of Militancy. “The Government continued show of ignorance to this eminent threat posed by Politicians and Traditional Rulers subsist the continuation of violence in the Niger Delta Region”. “As long as disagreement shall exist amongst leaders of these Communities, States and Nation; our leaders would always find Youths to arm”.

Meanwhile an indigene of Bonny and frontline crusader for the advancement of the Niger Delta region,, Mr Siminialaye. Maulo Oruene Hart has said the amnesty covered every group that participated actively in the struggle for the right of the people of the Niger delta,, in the light of this,  he queried the continuous incarceration of members of the Bonny led Okoloma Ikpangi in various prisons across the land.

“Okoloma Ikpangi has an identity, it is Bonny based, Bonny constituted and in the interest of the Bonny people and the overall interest of the Niger Delta. It is a struggle group that was formed to fight for the aggrieved and also for the right of the people, it is a group against high handedness, affliction, monumental corruption and fraud perpetuated against the Kingdom and its people” Mr. Hart averred. He explained that Okoloma Ikpangi is a distinct group that should be recognized as they are because they can be likened to the Bonny chapter of MEND, the umbrella body, involved in the regional struggle for the emancipation and development of the Niger Delta region. In the light of the development, it is imperative that if MEND and its other smaller units who were involved in the struggle have been granted amnesty, why should Leaders and members of the Okoloma Ikpangi still incarcerated across various prisons around Rivers state?

“Why are the boys not given opportunities to come out and embrace amnesty like others who did worst things in the cause of the struggle? Why should Bonny and her people be perennially marginalized in the comity of things in the state” he asked.

Speaking also to oone Asinyetogha Alaputa, a social critic from the area he averred, "If the government is truly transparent and sincere, whether the amnesty is over or not the Okoloma Ikpangi boys who are still held spell bound in prison, without the benefit of coming out to embrace the amnesty must be given a chance to embrace the federal government gesture or released unconditionally"

 Some other Bonny persons that spoke queried that only recently, Soboma Jackreece (a.k.a Egberipapa) was freed and all charges against him by the government dropped, similar action should be meted out to the okoloma Ikpangi boys still incarcerated, and not to be locked up under lock and key; they are not the worst offenders. Government should order for their immediate release; end of amnesty or not. Bonny people are watching with keen interest.

By Idaimi Hart