The militant group that kidnapped six senior secondary schoolboys of Lagos Model College, lgbonla, Epe, on Monday, July 31, 2017 threatened to strike again if they are not included in the federal government’s Niger Delta Amnesty Programme.
The threat was contained in a statement issued by the group, the Niger Delta Forest Army, and made available to newsmen in Akure, Ondo State.
Bossman Koniwei, a self-styled general and spokesperson for the group said, “We wish to inform the federal government that we are prepared to drop our arms and embrace peace.
“But will be ready to face any force if we are continuously ignored. This is the last chance for permanent peace. We shall return deadlier if nothing is done.’’
In the statement titled, Why We released Igbonla students to Ondo govt the kidnappers said the reason why they embarked on the Lagos/ Ogun violent campaign is to attract attention.
It reads further, “For years, the then PDP government’s amnesty Programme has been handled as a baby for the PDP boys to the exclusion of others, especially in those in Ondo State. None of our pleas was heeded by the authorities.
“We have done this for years and we are satisfied that we have made our point.
“The lgbonla College raid was an operation we carried out as a sign of our last violent campaigns if government takes the issue of amnesty for us with all seriousness.
“ls it not laughable that after dropping our guns for the government, only a few PDP youth benefited to our exclusion?
“We hope the Federal Government will not allow our period of grace to get to another level of crisis.
“We want to use this medium to state that none of our men was killed in the build up to the release of the six students as claimed by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the government of Lagos State.
[Read Also: 20 kidnappers were killed while trying to rescue the Igbonla students – Police]
“We only laugh at them listening to their claims and attempt to take glory for something they knew nothing about.
“We released the students to Ondo State deputy governor because we knew he will pursue amnesty for us.
“Lastly, we wish to inform the Federal Government that we are prepared to drop our arms and embrace peace but will be ready to face any ignored.
“This is the last chance for permanent peace. We shall return deadlier if nothing is done.’’
They noted that the boys were released to the Ondo State deputy governor out of respect for him and his Delta State counterpart, Kingsley Otuaro.
