Ex-Militants Not Ejected From South African Hotel -Ekiyor
By Emeka Umejei – Shout-Africa Lagos Correspondent – Former President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC),Dr.Chris Ekiyor has refuted allegation in some quarters that 18 Ex-Militants undergoing Post amnesty training in South Africa were thrown out of their hotel for lack of funds.
Ekiyor’s reaction follows on the heel of alleged report that 18 Ex-militants undergoing training at STC marine Engineering School in Cape Town, South Africa had been ejected from their hotel due to non availability of funds.
According to Ekiyor, the Amnesty office headed by Kingsley kuku has always met the needs of the ex-militants under any of its training programmes both within and outside the country. Hence, it is not possible that Ex-militants in far-away South Africa will be starved of funds.
Stating further, Ekiyor condemned what he termed the resort of the Ex-militants to blackmail the ongoing effort of Government at training ex-militants for onward assimilation into the society.
“ It is pure blackmail, nobody ejected the 18 Ex-militants from the hotel they were lodged. The checked out of the hotel in protest for a five star accommodation which contradicts every sense of an academic pursuit,” Ekiyor stated.
Stating further, Ekiyor emphasized that the ex-militants should be grateful to government instead of resorting to cheap blackmail.
According to him, there are many graduates from the Niger Delta who are roaming University roaming the streets even as he condemned their action.
“ There are many University graduates from the Niger Delta who have good grades and are roaming the streets. Instead of the Ex-militants to be grateful to government for such a rare opportunity they are trying to blackmail it,” Ekiyor noted.
However, Ekiyor who said he is in touch with the Amnesty office disclosed that kuku has vowed to get to the root of the matter and ensure it is not swept under the carpet.
Ekiyor also disclosed that some officials of the amnesty office are already in South Africa to unravel the cause of the matter.
