“Wake Not A Sleeping Lion”, Clark Tells FG On Reported Plans To Scrap Amnesty Programme

Foremost Niger Delta leader and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, has warned the Federal Government to tread cautiously on issues concerning the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the Niger Delta region.

He spoke following reports that a 4-man investigative panel headed by Amb. A. A. Lawal, set up by the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Mohammed Monguno (rtd), had recommended scrapping of the programme by December, this year, 2020.

In a zoom live press conference on Monday, Clark warned that scrapping the amnesty programme would only reopen old wounds.

He cautioned that except the federal government have prepared another ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ in the region, it should “wake not a sleeping lion”, saying, rather that ‘a threat’, the admonition was a “clarion call for peace” on President Buhari to stop whatever plans is in place to terminate the programme.

He contended that the proposal have already heightened the tense situation in the Niger Delta.

Clark, who is the convener of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), said, “Just about 11 (eleven) days ago, I held a Press Briefing advising and cautioning the Vice President, His Excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to tread cautiously on Niger Delta Affairs, I have cause to, again, advice/warn the Federal Government, to desist from anything that will truncate the fragile peace that we have in the Niger Delta region.

“I say this because, just yesterday, rumours were rife, that the 4-man investigative panel headed by Amb. A. A. Lawal, set up by the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Mohammed Monguno (rtd), to look into the activities of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), has recommended the scrapping of the Programme by December this year, 2020.

“If this is true, it will be an epic example of what we say in local parlance ‘trouble dey sleep, yanga go wake am’. This is not a threat; it is stating the obvious of what will actually happen.

“When I got this information yesterday, my temper was high because how can a region which contributes so much to the economic growth, and by extension, political and social growth of the country be treated with so much disdain and spite.”

“The Federal Government, like I said earlier, through the Office of the National Security adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno, rtd, set up a 4-man Investigative Panel headed by Amb. A. A. Lawal, from Bauchi State and other three northern as members, on 28th February, 2020, and the job of this Panel, which all through its sitting, I understand, sat in the Office of the NSA, which was to end on 24th April, 2020, has lingered until today, they have, up till this moment, taken over the administration of the PAP, operating from the NSA’s Office. Now we are getting information, that this ‘Investigative Panel’ is recommending the scrapping of the PAP by December this year, 2020.

“The question is, did Amb. Lawal and his team ever travel to the Niger Delta region to find out if the objective of setting up the Programme such as infrastructural development of sand filling; building low cost houses, building roads, etc, which are to be carried out by the PAP as its Second Phase activities contained in the Proclamation, been achieved?

“As someone outside of the region does he really understand or feel the sufferings of the people of the region? Also, what measures have been put in place by the Federal Government to fulfill its promises to the region such as setting up modular refineries, the relocation of the operational headquarters of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the Ogoni Clean-Up as contained in the 16-Point Agenda of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) which we presented to Mr. President at the Presidential Villa on 1st November, 2017?

“Our living condition in the region has worsened. The PAP should be allowed to continue for some more time.

“Once again, I wish to advise the Federal Government to tread cautiously, except they have prepared another ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’. Wake not a sleeping lion. This is not a threat; it is a clarion call for peace”, he added