Diversion Of Stipends: Ex-Militants File Contempt Proceedings Against Amnesty Co-ordinator

Some 147 Ex-Militants have filed contempt process against Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme Col. Miland Dikio (Rtd) at Federal High Court Yenagoa for allegedly disobeying a judgment of the court.

The ex-agitators are seeking the enforcement of the court judgement to compel Dikio to pay the judgement debt or be committed to prison.

The ex-militants had in  suit no. FHC/YNG/CS/70/2019 accused the Amnesty office of diverting the slots and stipends for the 147 ex-militants in two camps of 75 and 72 members from 2011 till date.

It will be recalled that presiding judge, Justice Awogboro Abimbola had on Nov. 13 in a consent judgement following agreed settlement terms ruled that the diversion of lots and stipends were unlawful and ordered for its reinstatement.

Abimbola had ordered payment to the 72 slots of Agbalagbabo camp  50 per cent of their total entitlements from April 2011 to Sept  amounting to N238.68 million as final settlement.

She ruled that the Amnesty Office should pay to the 75 militants of the Benuwolo camp, 50 per cent of their total entitlements from Jan 2011 to Sept 2019 amounting to N255.94 million as final settlement.

According to court records Messrs Moses Lawyer representing the 72 ex-militants and Clinton Orupade for the other 75 militants have served the contempt proceedings to urge Dikio to comply with the court judgement.

The court is yet to fix a date for Dikio to appear before it.