We went back to kidnapping because government failed us - Militants

Four suspected militants who were arrested for alleged abduction of their victims have said they went back to kidnapping because the federal government reneged on its promises.

The suspects said that they embraced the federal government amnesty programme six months ago with high hopes of enjoying certain empowerment benefits from the government as promised, but that the government failed on its part to fulfill its side of the deal.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, who yesterday paraded the suspects, said they were arrested for kidnapping and armed robbery.

Also arrested was a native doctor for allegedly selling children to ritualists, as well as another traditionalist who allegedly used a four-year-old girl for idol worshipping.

The militants, who were arrested for allegedly kidnapping three persons and collecting ransom on them, accused the federal government of betrayal.

One of them, Ekiowemi Mebizel, told journalists that they had initially keyed into the government amnesty programme and surrendered their weapons but the government failed to fulfill its promise of rehabilitating them.

“It is true that we are militants. We are based in the Ijegemo creek in Lagos. Last time, the government pleaded with us to surrender our weapons, which we did. We took our weapons to the Majidun police station, where they were collected from us. We wrote down our names and the government said they would reach out to us. For six months we have not heard from the government and we have been borrowing money to feed. We borrowed money to pay our children school fees and take care of our parents. Right now we are no more creditworthy. So our leader, Pasco, got angry and asked us to go back to the business we know how to do well.

“He armed us again and released a speed boat for us, which we used in kidnapping and robbing people to raise money for our upkeep. It was while we were returning to the creeks after collecting ransom that the police arrested us. You can see that the government betrayed us. It was their betrayal and unfaithfulness that pushed us back to business.

We are begging the government to forgive us and fulfill its promises,” Mebizel said.

Imohimi said that aside from the militants, 19 notorious cultists and armed robbers, whom he said were terrorising Ogombo, Sanhotedo, Elemoro, Ikota, Ajah and other parts of Lagos were arrested.