An elder statesman and former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark has slammed those equating Niger Delta militants with Northern bandits.
Chief Clark made this disclosure during a chat with newsmen on Wednesday at his Asokoro Residence, Abuja, noting that those who suggest such are myopic as they do so out of ignorance.
He, however took exception to the positions of former Zamfara State Governor, Sani Yerima, and the Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Shiekh Ahmad Gumi, who both argued for the Federal Government to grant amnesty to the bandits in the northwest just as in the case of the Niger Delta militants.
While saying it is obnoxious to think in that direction, the Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum added that it is criminal to compare what he said are the legitimate agitators of the region to “blood-sucking bandits” in the north.
Clark said, “My first reaction to those who compare the murderous blood-sucking bandits from the northern part of the country, with the legitimate agitators from the Niger Delta, is that of pity at their ignorance on national affairs, and myopic.”
Hailing the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, for condemning Yerima’s advice, Clark lamemted, what, According to him, was the unfortunate statement credited to the new Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, suggested a second look at the Niger Delta Amnesty programme because it has created an avenue to “re-organize and launch attacks on defenceless citizens.”
The leader of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum. further said, “The statement of the Chief of Army Staff comes across to me as a proposal for the scrapping of the amnesty granted to legitimate agitators for a better life and environment by the Niger Delta youths.”
Chief Edwin Clark then warned against such a move as he noted that it could open up a fresh crisis in the region.
