Following the intervention of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, over 1,500 Niger Delta militants have expressed their desire to embrace amnesty and surrender arms to the federal government.

Commanders from Arepo, Ikorodu, Abule, Fatorla, Ibafo, Magboro, Epe, Itokin, Ilepete, Okenekene, Agric, Gbokoda camps, Camp 5 and environs, in a statement, expressed their desire to surrender arms and embrace the amnesty program as long as the Federal Government is sincere.

The groups hinged their decision on the peaceful approach of Kachikwu, even as they declared that all Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) facilities and its subsidiaries must work for Nigeria’s progress and economic efficiency in the face of dwindling oil prices.

The statement signed by General OC Babaeere and General America Tekeiminikpoba on behalf of other commanders, said: “We write to express our desire to surrender our arms and embrace the amnesty program as long as the federal government is sincere.

“With the timely intervention of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, we the Commanders from Arepo Camp, Ikorodu Camp, Abule Camp, Fatorla Camp, Camp 5, Ibafo Camp, Magboro Camp, Epe Camp, Itokin Camp, Ilepete Camp, Okenekene Camp, Agric Camp, Gbokoda Camp and their environs, have made up our minds to accept amnesty because of the peaceful approach of the Minister of State for Petroleum.” (Daily Sun)

•Photo shows Niger Delta militants enroute an operation.