What could have given kidnappers the bravado to protest against maltreatment by the Ondo State Government? It was legality that gave them the cheek! They were Ex-militants who claimed responsibility for the disappearance of six students kidnapped from Igbonla College in Epe area of Lagos State in the past.
They, according to critics, actually have a legal and moral high ground since they were granted amnesty by the government with all the promises of carrots that go with it.
They issued a statement on Wednesday, 22 August, claiming that the state government “fell short of its promise to include them in the Amnesty Program of the Federal Government, after they agreed to surrender arms.”
According to Punch, Ogailo Ibory, leader of the group, threatened that his members would disrupt political activities in Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas of Ondo State if the government fails to keep its promise.
He said: “Last year, we heeded to the appeal of the Ondo State Government through the Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, and the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Donald Ojogo, who came to the creeks to free the six Epe students we kidnapped in protest.
“That time, the two of them promised to work out amnesty for us and we, thereafter, agreed to drop our guns. Up till now, we have been abandoned and no one is talking to us. They have used and dumped us in the creeks and since last year, amnesty is not [forth]coming.
“We are using this medium to request the Ondo State Government to kindly return our guns that they took from us since last year within the next 21 days. We are very serious and we are prepared for anything that will follow.”
Donald Ojogo, Chairman of the publicity subcommittee of the state amnesty programme, in his response, appealed to the ex-militants to bear with the state government, saying the matter would be resolved very soon noting that the matter would be resolved soon.