By Emmanuel Nlewedum
Rivers State Amnesty Committee set up by Governor Nyesom Wike has commenced recovery of arms and ammunitions from repentant cultists and criminals in the state.
The exercise kicked-off yesterday in Rundele community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state where two cult groups, Degbam Avengers and Iceland Confraternity terrorizing the community and its neighbouring villages and other youths involved in crime related activities publicly surrendered their arms and ammunitions and accepted the state government’s amnesty offer.
Chairman of the Amnesty Committee and Special Adviser to the Governor on Amnesty, Mr. Ken Chinda commended the youths for embracing the amnesty and warned them never to return to crime.
He assured them of employment and empowerment by the government.
“Under the amnesty scheme, those of you who have skills and those who don’t have will have the opportunity to be trained and to those of you who are graduates will be gainfully employed”.
He also stated that embracing the amnesty will afford them the opportunity to be reintegrated back to the society.
Paramount Ruler of Omofo, one of the communities in Rundele, HRH, Edison Omeodu, commended the state government for introducing the amnesty scheme, saying that it will go a long way in eradicating crime in the state.
While stating that the decision of the youths to embrace the amnesty marks the return of peace and a step forward for the community, Eze Omeodu regretted that the community has for months, lived in great fear which resulted to the area being tagged as flash point of violence as all manner of crime are perpetrated there.
The Traditional ruler advised the state government to ensure that its promises to the repentant youths in the state are kept.
Some of the repentant cultists thanked the state government for making them free citizens once again and pleaded with the community for forgiveness, promising never to terrorize the area or take to crime again.
