‘Delayed payment to ex-militants threatening fragile peace in Rivers’

PORT HARCOURT— National Youth Congress of Nigeria, NYCN, Rivers State branch, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the delay in the payment of ex-militants, which it said, was threatening the fragile peace in the state.

The youth body also called on the President to redirect the payment system of the amnesty stipends in order to ensure that money gets to the ex-militants on time to forestall further breakdown of law and order in the state.

The ex-militants, in two separate agitations for their payment, closed down Heritage Bank on Olu-Obasanjo Road, Port Harcourt, the bank commissioned to make the amnesty payment in the new administration.

They also grounded business activities in Choba, the community that plays host to the University of Port Harcourt.

Three months after the angry ex-militants disrupted activities at the Heritage Bank, customers and officials of the bank are yet to resume services.

Speaking to newsmen on the development and the threat to peace in the state by actions of the frustrated youths, Mr. Sukubo Sara-Igbe, the President of NYCN appealed on the President Buhari to do a review of the payment procedure.

He said the recent bank model adopted by the government in the payment of the amnesty stipends was causing problem, as fraud was taking over the whole process.

He advised that the old model in which the boys were reached through their contact heads should be re-introduced for ease disbursement of the stipends.