Benue Amnesty: 600 beneficiaries abscond over fear of arrest

Over 600 beneficiaries of the Benue State government amnesty programme have absconded.
The programme in which over 800 ex-criminals enrolled demanded that they shunned their old ways and submitted their weapons in exchange for rehabilitation and a monthly stipend.


However, it was gathered that a meeting of beneficiaries called last Friday had only about 200 in attendance. Close source disclosed that most of the beneficiaries were scared of being arrested following the recent controversies that have engulfed the exercise.

“only like 200 came for the meeting. The rest are scared they would be arrested. Even the 200 were not the original people. ” the source said.

Recall that the State Governor, Samuel Ortom’s aide on Security who was instrumental to the amnesty programme was assassinated about two months ago. One of the pillars around which the programme was hinged, a former militia leader, Terwase Akwaza also known as Gana was fingered to be responsible for the murder.

As a result, the Governor has appealed to the former militia to wilfully avail himself to the police for investigation. This, according to the source, has sent fears across the beneficiaries hence their absence at the meeting.

It was also gathered that those who attended the meeting, even though not the original beneficiaries, were given N10,000 each and told to henceforth consider themselves as informants in their various communities.

Source Benue.info