Juliana Taiwo
13 November 2009
Abuja — The Federal Government's amnesty programme for militants in the Niger Delta has won the admiration of the Russian Federation.
Under the amnesty programme, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua had granted pardon to the militants, who had held the oil rich Niger Delta by the jugular, in exchange for the surrendering of their arms and ammunition.
The 60-day programme ended on October 4, 2009 with about 15, 000 militants including the dreaded Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo and Tom Ateke dropping their guns. Government is now in the process of rehabilitating the ex-militants.
Yesterday, the Russian Federation commended the amnesty programme and the efforts made by the Federal Government to bring kidnapping to an end in the Niger Delta.
The federation pledged its assistance whenever needed to further the cause of peace in Nigeria.
Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexandar Polyakov, made the pledge on behalf of his government, when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj. Gen Godwin Abbe (rtd) in Abuja.
He expressed his country's gratitude to Nigeria over the release of two Russian nationals kidnapped by the Niger Delta militants earlier this year and praised the efforts of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in speedily bringing to an end the kidnap saga.
The Federal Government had on February 20, 2009 handed over the two Russians, Sergey Zamotaylov and Konstantin Aksenov, abducted on December 20, 2008 at the Aluminium Smelter Company (ALSCON), Eket, Akwa Ibom State to the Russian Ambassador, Polyakov.
The Russians were rescued by the Nigerian Navy (NN) on patrol along Bonny River while they were swimming away from their captors.
In his response, Abbe reiterated the age-long cordial relationship between the two countries, which spans decades.
He said the efforts of the Armed Forces through JTF, which led to the release of the two Russian hostages, underscored the determination of the Nigerian government to address the security issues in the country as spelt out in the 7-point agenda of President Yar'Adua.
Gen Abbe said the government is doing all it can to address the areas of disaffection among the various segments of the country, which in the first instance led the militants to take up arms against the state.
He therefore pledged that Nigeria would do everything possible to sustain the existing cordial relationship with Russian Federation.
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