Epe Six Kidnappers Justify Act, Threaten to Strike Again unless Granted Amnesty

Kidnappers of six students of Model Secondary School, Igbonla, Epe in Lagos State have made threats strike again if the federal government does not enlist them as beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.

Claiming to be militants under the aegis of Niger Delta Forest Army, the abductors disclosed that the kidnap case of the six students was their last peace campaign as their impending strike will be more disastrous if their demands are not met.

Representing the sect, their Public Relations Officer, Bossman Konowei, disclosed to newsmen in Ondo that they decided to release the students because they wanted to benefit from the amnesty programme of the federal government.

The abducted students were kidnapped  from Lagos State and released to the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, in a creek between Ajapa in Ese-Odo local government and Ugbonla in Ilaje local government of the state 65 days after the kidnap.

Konowei asserted that, only members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are enjoying the benefits of the ongoing amnesty programme as other militants are excluded.

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“We wish to bring to the notice of all Nigerians that the recent release of the six Igbonla College students who were in our custody was done for specific reasons. It is out of respect for our state, especially the Deputy Governor, Ajayi, and his Delta State counterpart, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro.

“For years, the then PDP government’s Amnesty programme has been handled as a baby for PDP boys to the exclusion of others, especially in Ondo State.

“None of our pleas was heeded by the authorities. That is the reason we embarked on our Lagos/Ogun violent campaigns to attract attention.

“We had done this for years and we are satisfied that we have made our points known.

“The Igbonla College raid was an operation we carried out as a sign of our last violent campaigns if government takes the issue of amnesty for us with all seriousness.

“Is it not laughable that after dropping our guns for the government, only few PDP youths benefitted to our exclusion?

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The group also warned the government not to take their “period of grace” for gramted as it is the last “chance of permanent peace”

According to the millitant group, “We hope the federal government will not allow our period of grace to get to another level of Ondo crisis.

“This is the last chance for permanent peace. We shall return deadlier if nothing is done,” Konowei said.

The kidnappers also refuted reports that some of them were killed in the attempt to release the students, asserting that  the police were only trying to glorify themselves for activities they were unaware of.

READ ALSO: We killed 20 kidnappers while rescuing Igbonla students – Lagos Commissioner of Police

“We want to use this medium to state that none of our men was killed in the build up to the release of the six students as claimed by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the government of Lagos State.

“We only laugh at them listening to their claims and attempt to take glory for something they knew nothing about.

“We released the students to Ondo State deputy governor because we knew he will pursue amnesty for us.”