The ex-militants vowed to protest against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and other interventionist agencies in the region.
The position was also endorsed by the National Chairman Ex-militant leaders in Niger Delta region, national leader of concern Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, National leaders Niger Delta movement for good governance, ex-freedom fighters of the Niger Delta region, Coalition of Niger Delta students and Coalition of Aggrieved Niger Delta Youths.
The ex-agitators in a statement signed by Gen. Franklin Igodo, argued that “protest is a guaranteed right of citizens in every democratic society incorporated both in our domestic laws and international human rights instruments”.
Igodo said: “From the lens of history, we remember when President Tinubu sponsored a national Protest against our Own Brother and Leader the former President of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan.
“We are fully aware and directly affected with the economic hardship, inflation, harsh economic policies, over-taxation, starvation, unemployment, insecurity, and essentially bad governance and unbearable living.
“We have mobilized all of our delegates and impacted communities members to be fully involved in this landmark national protest.
“The planned Nationwide protest on the 1st of August is a welcome development as it’s going to be an opportunity for us to draw the attention of Mr President Tinubu to our challenges in NDDC and the Presidential Amnesty Program.
“In the past 11 years after the Amnesty was Announced by late president Yar’Adua. Our salaries havw been 65 thousand naira up to this moment when a bag of rice has become 85 thousand naira in 2024 under a President who has no feelings for her citizens, especially the Niger Delta region, Only a dead man will stay at home when history is about to be made against bad Governance.
*Our resolution today is to totally and completely be part of this protest. We will rather die intend of fold our hands and die in hunger under bad governance.
“The truth is that whether we protest or stay at home. We will still die, but we don’t want to die through hunger, we have decided to Mobilize five thousand youths who feel the pains of the bad governance”.
END
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