New Nigerian says:

Actually it turns out on quick check – thanks Google – that Jonathan’s administration’s decision is in concert with what I was recommending – sunset at the federal level in 2015 and encourage the States to pick up the development tab for it’s teeming population. It is interesting that the change platform would match every job created by any state with a federal job in that state….The total cost of the amnesty approximately $2billion from Federal coffers (The states already receive jumbo portion of the oil revenue due to derivation….)

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Nigeria to terminate amnesty for Niger Delta militants in 2015. 2013-09-17 17:12:24

ABUJA, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) — Nigeria is to terminate the amnesty given to ex-militants of the restive Niger Delta region in 2015, an official said Tuesday.

Kingsley Kuku, special adviser to the Nigerian president on Niger Delta matters, told the local Punch Newspaper in an interview that the government had put in place mechanism to ensure that more than 10,000 ex-militants would have passed through various educational and vocational training within and outside the West African country before the termination of the program in 2015.

On Sunday, another batch of 186 ex-militants left the shores of Nigeria for training in Britain, Ireland and South Africa, he noted, saying departure of the latest batch has brought to 16,683 the number of ex-militants so far sent for offshore and local training since the amnesty program started in 2010.

“The program would be winding up by 2015 because it has a terminal date. We are pursuing this doggedly. From inception, the program was designed to run for five years which we believe should not be altered,” Kuku explained.

About 4,000 youths have been trained in 2013. “In 2014 we will train 6,000 and in 2015, we will have less than 6,000 to train. This is novel and we do not need to delay our work to remain in office. That is not our vision,” he said.

Out of the latest batch of 186, 60 would undergo a 12-month vocational training in South Africa as emergency medical technicians, while the remaining 126 will be studying various courses in tertiary institutions in Britain and Ireland.

The latest batch of trainees is the largest to be sent to Britain, he noted, describing it as a unique opportunity.

The amnesty program was established by Nigeria’s late president Umaru Yar’Adua to rehabilitate ex-militants who renounced fighting and surrendered their weapons under the government’s terms for ceasefire.”””

New Nigerian says:

This is foolish. For starters the change we voted for would stop the bastardization of our youth anywhere in the land including the Niger Delta by ensuring that we replace upward mobility through violence, anarchy & lawlessness, with that of education-opportunities-welfare for all. While at the same time ensuring that any anarchist is brought to justice based on the law of the land. Terrorist anywhere in the land is already put on notice – Though Jonathan could not fulfill his promise that “There will be no terrorism in Nigeria by the end of 2014”, we are confident that General Buhari will fulfill his. In specific terms, all pipeline surveillance & maritime surveillance contracts should end effective May 29. Also the amnesty program should be allowed to run it’s full course and then unloaded to the states – leaving the individual states to choose to renew it or not.