IGBOZURUOKE MEDIA

Repentant non-state actors of Nigeria’s vastly polluted oil and gas region are at loggerheads with Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) concerning the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), an initiative of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. 
Ex-militant leaders on the platform of Movement for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND) want President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to rejig the amnesty programme.
This is happening as the unguarded outburst of the controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is currently exposing the alleged atrocities of the Fulani against the Hausa people..
In an open letter dated October 22 to all Hausa Muslims in the country, Kalthoum Alumbe Jutami, an emerging Hausa activist, shakes the table, alleging that the Fulani are bent on creating confusion in the name of religion. 
However, PAP is concerned with transforming ex-militants into entrepreneurs and/or employable citizens who will become net contributors to the economy of the oil and gas region, and the country through effective collaboration with relevant public and private institutions and state governments in the region.
PANDEF says it is satisfied with the efforts of PAP’s Interim Administrator, Barry Ndiomu, a retired General of the Nigerian Army, in stabilising the Niger Delta.
That was part of the far reaching decisions leaders and critical stakeholders of the region reached on Wednesday at an extraordinary meeting in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The Abuja meeting was chaired by PANDEF’s National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, and in attendance were the group’s National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, members of its Board of Trustees, national and state officers, as well as former federal and state legislators, governors, ministers, and other critical stakeholders.
Among them were former Minister of Lands and Housing,
Nduese Essien, Amb. Godknows Igali, Senator Musa Adede, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, Dr. Cairo Ojoubgoh, Solomon Asemota SAN, and Stella Dorgu.
Others included Olivia Agbajoh, Obongawan Grace Ekong, King Suanu Baridam, Egho Ogene, Bassey Ekefre, Bernard Mikko, Prof. G. G. Darah, Prof. Uduak Umoh, Prince Okareme Maikpobi, Diepreye Amadein, Uwemedimo Nwoko, SAN, Obo Osaro, Ottos Akuephel, Dr. Ken Robinson, among others.
But, in a seeming dramatic twist, the ex-militant leaders in a statement are rather calling for the removal of Ndiomu for “effective and proper delivery” of PAP’s mandate to the region.
They are claiming that the retired military general’s tenure elapsed since last May, and as such he should not remain in the office
They are equally raising allegations of fraud in the management of the Presidential Amnesty Cooperative Society Limited, set up by Ndiomu on May 24 this year.
Interestingly, the cooperative society is being promoted as a legacy project of Ndiomu. Its vision, and mission to drive prosperity in the Niger Delta. It is believed that the moment of transformation for productive initiative and wealth creation is now, as such, PAP delegates cannot be left behind.
The Southern Examiner gathered that the cooperative society was established with the aim of alternative sustainable wealth creation for PAP delegates. “The objectives of the cooperative will be to help delegates become self-reliant, own functional businesses, create sustainable wealth, be productive and plan for their future”, PAP says.
Continuing, it explains that the sustainable wealth creation model will identify business opportunities for delegates, provide start-up funding for cooperative societies, cluster delegates into cooperative societies, provide management/advisory support, and provide institutional and business linkages from organisations like the Bank of Industry, SMEDAN, and Chambers of Commerce.
According to PAP, “the Interim Administrator believes the project will benefit delegates by helping them: Have a functional cooperative society, have businesses that give cooperatives members additional income, become part of a productive business community, and build capacities for local and international business opportunities.”
The cooperative society was launched with N1.5 billion, and an additional N500 million deposited in the account monthly.
However, in their statement, the protesting ex-militant leaders are also calling on security and anti-graft agencies to invite the PAP anchors of the scheme for questioning on the whereabouts of the sum of ₦2.5 billion allegedly missing from the cooperative’s account.
They are claiming that despite series of complaints, petitions and revelations of alleged diversion of billions of the amnesty funds, non-payment of beneficiaries’ stipends and institutional fraud, “it is saddening that it is only PAP that has remained untouched and unattended to by the present administration despite complaints and serious allegations of fraud”, they add.

In the meantime, Jutami says: “Our religion is a religion of justice. Our religion is a religion of peace. My Hausa brethren, do not forget that for eight years, the Fulani have killed more than 7 million Hausas. Do not forget, my Hausa brethren, that these Hausas who were killed are all Muslims. 
“Do not forget that (former) President Buhari was elected by us, the Muslims. During Buhari’s tenure, the minister of defense was a Fulani Muslim. The Inspector General of Police was a Fulani Muslim. The minister of education was a Fulani Muslim. The Minister of FCT was a Fulani Muslim. The minister of finance, along with every other strategic position you can imagine, were all manned by Fulani Muslims. 
“All the governors in Hausa land: Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, were all Fulani Muslims. In all the killings against us, the Hausas, have any of them ever said anything? 
“The leaders of Tijaniya, Izala, Qadriya, and Shia – have you ever seen any of them come out and declare that the killing of Hausa Muslims must be stopped? Apart from Murtala Asada, Musa Lukwa, Abdullazis Idris, and Bello Yabo, these are the only four people who have spoken against the killings. We also have Dr. Nura Khalid. 
“The Muslim public, the Hausa public, when Buhari was president, he granted Israeli and Germans citizenship of Nigeria – don’t forget. Today, ironically, because Wike, the current Minister of FCT said he would hire an Israeli company for security, the Fulani are inciting confusion among us in the name of Islam just to provoke us to violence. 
“They are quite aware that we Hausas, when religion is invoked over any matter, we get easily provoked to violence. Don’t forget the killings against us for eight years under Buhari. Our children who were kidnapped, a Hausa lady was kidnapped while pregnant and a ransom of N5 million was demanded. She gave birth to twins in captivity and was told to pay N2 million each for the twins, making it N9 million altogether. 
“A Hausa Muslim paid N9 million to a Fulani Muslim. They collected this money, took the two babies, a boy and a girl, and fed them to Fulani dogs. The mother snapped and died instantly. Have you ever seen or heard any Fulani cleric in this country come out to condemn this heinous act? No! 
“A Hausa Muslim baby was taken and cooked by the Fulani and given to the Hausas to eat. Have you ever heard any Fulani cleric condemn this senseless act? No. Hausa Muslims were met praying in the mosques and shot dead right in the mosque by the Fulani. 
“Have you ever heard any Fulani cleric criticize this? No! A vehicle was stopped with Hausa Muslims in it, gasoline was poured on the vehicle and its occupants were burnt alive while they were calling on God. Have you seen any Fulani cleric condemn this? No! 
“Thousands of Hausas were chased out of their villages, denied farming, and even denied admission to educational institutions. We Hausas have been kept at arm’s length by everyone in this country. Today, because those governing this country are not from Fulani stock, they want to provoke us. 
“The work in Abuja has affected the national mosque. Wike is not an enemy of Islam. Wike is not an enemy of the Hausa people; the Fulani just don’t like Wike because he is interested in ensuring security. They don’t like security because they know they are terrorists. They don’t like Bola Ahamed Tinubu, because he will deal with terrorists. They know if terrorists are dealt with, they would be dealt with because they are the terrorists. 
“Do not forget, Sheikh Gumi said we must not elect anybody who will ensure security. Have you forgotten? My Muslim brethren, we must fear God. Our religion is a religion of justice. A Hausa person must know that in this world he has no enemy other than the Fulani.
“It is not the Christians who are enemies of the Hausa people, it is the Fulani. It is not the Yorubas nor Igbos who are the enemies of the Hausas – it is the Fulani. Given the above, we the Hausas must be careful.
“We must not accept what the Fulani religious leaders are saying – they are lying. They intend to deceive us so that a Fulani man can take over for them to continue killing us. They don’t want security in this country – they have seen that the country is on its path to peace, prosperity, and progress – the borders are open and food is coming in and getting cheaper. We would be educated. We would be supplied with light and piped water and enjoy peace and relative stability, which they don’t want.
“The Fulani hate peaceful co-existence – don’t forget. The Fulani are not indigenous to this country and they have nothing to lose by destroying this country. We are the indigenous people – we are the stakeholders, whether we are Christians, Muslims or Traditional worshippers, with everything to lose. 
“Thus, we need to stand our ground to keep the country. To you Christians, please remember that we Hausa Muslims are the ones struggling for the freedom of this country in its entirety. You are our brethren – you are our neighbours. We have been living together with you for a long time. Muslims, Christians and Traditional worshippers must join hands together and never allow the Fulani to instigate us against one another.
“The Fulani want to turn us against one another while they step aside and laugh at us like they did in years past. The Fulani have nothing to lose if this country crumbles – they have stolen enough money and have armed their children. If we dare to make the mistake of fighting one another, the Fulani will come in and kill us all, from our Muslims to our Christians. Given these circumstances, we must be wise and not fall into their heinous plans. May God bless Nigeria?”

The sourthernexaminer