Some ex-militants in the Niger Delta region on Thursday said some politicians had stockpiled illegal arms to unleash terror against opponents in the forthcoming general elections.
Godstime Ogidigba, spokesperson, Ex-Agitators Leadership Forum, who disclosed this in Benin, Edo State, said the forum had information on some of the locations the arms were allegedly kept.
Ogidigba said the arms were stockpiled to unleash terror and mayhem against political opponents and rig the 2019 elections.
He advised ex-militants not to allow any politician to use them as thugs to undermine the effort of the government to conduct free and fair elections.
Ogidigba said what the region currently needed was sustainable peace and development.
He said: “Most politicians have used the festive period as an avenue to smuggle in illegal fire arms and ammunition into the region as part of their evil plans for the 2019 general polls.
“We have resolved to carefully trace the locations where they are kept.
“After thorough information gathering, we will expose those behind the illegal act to the whole world.
“We want to use this medium to advice our brothers in the Niger-Delta region, especially ex-agitators and those who surrendered their arms to the Federal Government, but are yet to be captured in the amnesty programme, to be patient.
“They should not allow themselves to be used as political thugs during the forthcoming elections as there is still room for them to be absorbed into the scheme.
“We urge Niger Delta politicians and stakeholders to abide by the rules of the Electoral Act to ensure hitch free, fair and credible elections in the region.”
Ogidigba said the region cannot afford continued loss of lives and property during exercise as experienced in previous polls
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