In the Okomu and Ovia South West local government areas, Ijaw activists and agitators have pleaded with Governor Monday Okpebholo to grant them amnesty.
They declared that they were prepared to lay down their weapons and support Governor Okpebholo in his battle against cultism and kidnapping.
The turmoil that engulfed the Okomu village a few years ago was denied by the Ijaw youngsters.
Speaking in Benin City, Lawrence Yambor, the leader of the Ijaw agitators, claimed that their main goal was to improve the lives of the Okomu people.
According to Yambor, his organisation is still ready for peace talks to advance the community’s growth.
Besides the appeal for amnesty from Governor Okpebholo, Yambor pleaded for his group to be integrated into the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which he said, changed the narrative in the Niger Delta region.
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He said Okpebholo has shown the capacity to deliver on campaign promises.
According to him: “Governor Monday Okpebholo has lived up to his campaign promises of bettering the lots of the people with his strings of legacy projects coupled with his fight against criminals, cultists and the likes.
“The Governor has also shown commitment to his SHINE Agenda which he has aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. To cap it all, he has promised to secure more than 2.5 million votes for the President in 2027 which process he has set in motion.
“My group align with Governor Okpebholo in all he has done and plan to do. On this basis we are desirous of dropping arms and giving our word of promise to join him in his fight against criminality.”
According to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s economy has grown significantly over its 65 years of independence.
In his nationwide address to commemorate the 65th anniversary of independence, Tinubu made this clear.
He pointed out that the nation has persevered through all of the difficulties it has encountered over the past 65 years of independence.
“Our economy has experienced tremendous economic growth since 1960. We have survived all the challenges,” he said.
