Some ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region who accepted the Presidential Amnesty have applauded President Muhamadu Buhari for reappointing Col Milland Dikio (Rtd), as Interim Administrator of the Amnesty programme.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced the reappointment of Dikio for another one year.

According to the statement, Dikio has, within the one year in office, consolidated his position as head of Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the renewal of appointment of Col Milland Dikio (Rtd) as Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for another one-year tenure.

“Col. Dikio was first appointed in August 2020, and has, despite the challenges, been able to command widespread respect amongst the various stakeholders in the Niger Delta,” the statement said.

The former militants noted that the President took the right decision in Dikio’s reappointment in the interest of peace and stability of the Niger Delta. 

Mr Tonye Bobo, National chairman of the Third Phase of the PAP, said by extending Dikio’s tenure, Buhari had demostrated his committment to the development of the region.

Bobo also commended the President for not listening to naysayers, who were bent on derailing the programme.

He urged Dikio to see his reappointment as an acknowledgement of his efforts in the last one year and charged him to justify the fresh mandate by working for the sustained peace of the region.

Bobo assured Dikio of the support of ex-agitators, especially those in the third phase, adding that having keyed into his vision, they will work with him to achieve it. 

“It is cheering news for us because it is what we clamoured for. So, we are thanking President Buhari for listening to wise counsel and extending the tenure of Col. Milland Dixon Dikio. 

“Dikio has shown capacity, he has demonstrated in the last one year that he understands the workings of the programme and when you listen to his vision and template, it is obvious he knows what is best for the ex-agitators and the region as a whole. 

“What we are going to appeal to him is to look into the issues that are pending before him like that of the undocumented ex-agitators and see how they can be captured because they have suffered a lot. For us we will work with him to achieve his desired goal for the Niger Delta,” he said.

Also, another ex-militant leader, Mr Kingsley Umoh, also known as 007, noted that ex-agitators from Akwa Ibom are delighted with the development.

He observed that Dikio has repositioned the scheme and given them a hope with policies to make them entreprenuers rather than depending on stipends.

“The man is a good man, you can see the stability enjoyed in the region within the past one year, he is honest and transparent and very unassuming.

“We pray that his reappointment will pave way for him to complete the policies he initiated,” Umoh said.