PAP Administrator Allegedly Behind Arrest Of Ex-Agitators Phase II National Chairman, Body Writes IG, NASS, Others

by Our Correspondent

The Bayelsa state police command, Yenagoa, at the office of Operation Puff Adder, has confirmed that the Interim Administrator of the presidential Amnesty Programme, Maj. Gen. Barry Tariye Ndiomu is behind the Arrest of the National Chairman of phase II, Self-style Gen. John Esuku.

Recall that some online media outlets reported the Arrest of John Esuku by Ndiomu in APO De-suit Hotel in Abuja on Tuesday last week and was flown through Air to Bayelsa state Command on Thursday that same week.

It was earlier reported that, The National Chairman of Phase II and the National Exco had petitioned the Interim Administrator to the Federal House of Representatives, and the meeting was to be held on Wednesday of last week, of which Ndiomu was to appear before the house to defend himself on the allegations levelled against him by the Ex-agitators.

John Esuku was Arrested on Tuesday, in a Telephone chat, according to PASSMAN AKPOS, the National Publicity Secretary of Phase II, who noted that, “Ndiomu calculated the Arrest, thinking that when he arrested John Esuku, we will be afraid to go to the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the Arrest even boosted our morale and we went to the house of Assembly and so much was done that day, let me not say further” he noted.

Meanwhile, At the office of Operation Puff Adder, the Bayelsa state Command, John Esuku was given a copy of the petition written against him that led to his arrest. The petition was written on the instruction of some ex-militants’ leaders led by one MR. IBENA SALVATION RUFUS, on the allegation that he (John Esuku) via a voice note found in a WhatsApp group threatened the current Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. Unfortunately, the police and petitioners are yet to produce the said voice note.

A reliable source said the Police confirmed to John Esuku that his arrest and detention was instigated by the current Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme through the ex-agitator, (MR. IBENA SALVATION RUFUS)

The source claimed that the Police told him (John Esuku) to find a way to plead with the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, otherwise, they (the police) have been instructed by Maj. Gen. Barry Tariye Ndiomu to trump up charges on treasonable Felony against him(John Esuku).

It was gathered that, the essence is to arm-twist John Esuku and other petitioners to withdraw the petition pending before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions in order to cover-up the fraudulent activities of Ndiomu’s led Amnesty Office.

Meanwhile, it is said that the legal team of John Esuku and the National Exco has written to the IG of Police, and also The House Committee on public petition, in the House of Representatives.

Part of the petition reads thus;

“COMPLAINTS OF INTIMIDATION, ARRESTS AND THREAT TO LIVES OF PETITIONERS BY THE CURRENT INTERIM ADMINISTRATOR OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AMNESTY PROGRAMME

“We are legal practitioners and our services are retained by MR. JOHN ESUKU, National Chairman of the Phase 2 the Presidential Amnesty Programme for the Ex-agitators of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria who have been granted amnesty by the Federal Government of Nigeria and who shall hereinafter be referred to as our client.

“As law abiding citizens, our client and 43 other leaders of the ex-agitators of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria who have been granted amnesty by the Federal Government of Nigeria under Phase 2 of the Presidential Amnesty Programme had earlier engaged our service sometime in the month of July, 2023 to cause a petition to be written to the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives over non-payment of their monthly stipends against the Presidential Amnesty Programme Office under the leadership of the current Interim Administrator, Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (Rtd).

“A copy of the Petition dated 17th July, 2023 written by us on behalf of the Phase 2 ex-militants of the Presidential Amnesty Programme is attached hereto easy of reference.

“The foresaid petition was duly approved and referred to the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions to handle.

“Consequently, the Committee had slated the petition for hearing on the 2nd and 14th days of February, 2024 respectively, and summoned both the petitioners and Respondent to appear before the Committee for the hearing of the petition.

“However, for the two occasions the Interim Administrator, Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (Rtd) refused and neglected to appear before the Committee without any explanation.

“The Committee has now adjourned the hearing of the petition to March 19, 2024 for the last time to enable the Interim Administrator, Maj-Gen Barry Ndiomu (Rtd) to appear to defend the petition against him.

“Our client during the pendency of the above petition received several calls of intimidation and threats to his life for complaining about the non-payment of the stipends against the Presidential Amnesty Programme Office.

“The height of it was that our client was tracked, trailed and arrested on February 13, 2024 along Janet Duniya Street by DE-SUIT Hotel, Apo, Abuja by men of the Nigeria Police Force from the Unit of Operation Puff Adder of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

“Our client has been taken to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and still detained in the shell of Operation Puff Adder of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

“At the office of Operation Puff Adder, our client was given a copy of the petition written against him that led to his arrest.

“The petition was written on the instruction of some ex-militants’ leaders led by one MR. IBENA SALVATION RUFUS on the allegation that our client via a voice note found in a WhatsApp group threatened the current Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. Unfortunately, the police and petitioners are yet to produce the said voice note.

“It is worthy of note that our client has been detained in the Police shell for Six (6) days now without being charged to court for any offense.

“Our client has also not been granted bail despite application for bail. However, our client was informed by the Police that his arrest and detention was instigated by current Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme through the ex-agitators, therefore, he should find a way to plead with the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, otherwise, they (the police) have been instructed to trump up charges on treasonable Felony against our client.

“Of course, the essence is to arm-twist our client and other petitioners to withdraw the petition pending before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions.

“We therefore, on behalf of our client passionately appeals for an intervention by the Honourable House to prevail on the Interim Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme to release our client and cease from further intimidation, harassment, assault, arrest and threats to lives of the petitioners either directly or through Security agents or other ex-agitators as our client and other petitioners are law abiding citizens who are only making legitimate complaints and through the recognized legal means.

“Thank you for your anticipated intervention and action.

Yours faithfully,” the letter read.