By Jennifer M. Haralambides
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

DUTCH ISLAND, Nigeria – On Saturday, three top Nigerian militant leaders gave up their weapons along with thousands of fighters under the promise of government amnesty.

Together the senior commanders of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), one of the main militant groups in the area, along with the field commanders in the Rivers state, accepted the presidential offer of amnesty to militants who lay down their weapons.

The militant leaders took the offer of amnesty on the eve of the offer’s expiration, as today is the deadline.  Until now, groups such as MEND have refused to take advantage of this offer.  In June Yar’Adua announced the amnesty offer to over 10,000 militant leaders.  Just before the offer was due to expire, the group agreed to take advantage of the unconditional pardon in a bid to end the unrest in the oil producing region.

“We are surrendering all weapons under direct control,” said I Farah Dagogo, MEND’s overall field commander.

Another well known militant leader, Ateke Tom, “the godfather”, along with 5,000 fighters, laid out heavy machine guns, automatic rifles, pump-action shotguns, mortars, grenades and ammunition at “Tourist Beach” on Saturday.   A third top militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, also know as “Tompolo”, accepted the amnesty offer during a meeting with the president, Umaru Yar’Adua late on Saturday.

The overwhelming need to end the military violence has stemmed from the sliding of Africa’s main oil exporter’s daily productions sliding to 1.7 million barrels per day from 2.6 million in January 2006.

MEND leader, Henry Okah, made a point to say that the violence and unrest in the region is likely to continue even after the amnesty deadline has expired because the root cause of the violence has not yet been addressed.  Other leaders have backed up this statement saying that the fighters will resume if authorities fail to make good on their pledge to develop the region.

Some militant fighters who have laid down their arms are wearing white T-shirts saying, “Thank you for the amnesty, but remember your pledge.  You can take the arms but the struggle continues.”
For more information, please see:

BBC – More Nigeria Oil Militants Disarm – 4 October 2009

Vanguard – Amnesty Deadline: Militants in Last Minute Rush to Surrender – 4 October 2009

AFP – Top Nigerian Militant Leaders Disarm Under Amnesty – 3 October 2009

Reuters – Nigeria Rebel Leader Emerges to Surrender Arms – 3 October 2009