The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta has issued a September-18 ultimatum to all those in possession of illegal arms in the region to surrender them or face the full wrath of the law.
JTF spokesman, Lt-Col. Timothy Antigha, said in a statement in Yenagoa that those in possession of such illegal firearms had until September 18 to surrender them.
“With effect from September 18, anyone found in possession of illegal arms will be arrested and treated as a criminal,” he said.
Antigha dismissed claims that the activities of JTF were responsible for the renewed agitation by some ex-militants in the region for the implementation of the third phase of the amnesty programme.
He said the security outfit had nothing to do with the running of the amnesty programme, which he explained was the prerogative of the federal government.
Antigha said the task force was only concerned with taking control of the illegal arms and ammunition in the possession of some ex-militants.
“So far, the JTF has mopped several thousands of arms and ammunition, which would otherwise have been used to perpetrate crime in the region and the nation in general.
In a reaction to the JTF statement, two ex-militants, Kathy Sese and Tonye Bobo, vowed on behalf of their group in a separate statements in Yenagoa to continue with their agitation.
The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr Kingsley Kuku, commended the JTF for its patriotic duties to the nation.
Mr Henry Ogbolue, the Head of Media and Communications, Presidential Amnesty Office, in a statement, said JTF should continue to mop up illegal arms in the region, and warned “mischief makers’’ against dragging back the amnesty programnme. (NAN)