Members of the Bakassi Strike Force, one of the militant groups operating in Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states of the Niger Delta have reached out to the authorities of the Department of State Service expressing their readiness to accept amnesty and end hostilities.
The offer by the group follows series of military attacks on suspected hideouts in the two states, which had led to the arrest of some members of the militant group and the killing of others by Operation Delta Safe.
A statement released by the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre of Operation Delta Safe, Lt. Col. Olaolu Daudu, on Wednesday said the militant group through their leader, Benjamin Ene, had already turned in General Purpose Machine Gun and an AK 47 rifle to signify the group’s readiness to surrender.
It read, “Following consistent successful operation against militants and criminals by Operation Delta Safe, available information from Sector 4 in Cross River State indicates that Bakassi Strike Force militants led by one Mr. Benjamin Ene have expressed unreserved willingness to lay down their arms and have contacted the Department of State Service in Cross River State through the state government’s representative on amnesty to signify their readiness to hold talks on amnesty with the relevant authorities.
“To buttress this demonstration of goodwill, BSF turned in one General Purpose Machine Gun and an AK 47 rifle. The Department of State Service has since recovered the arms as talks are ongoing on modalities to surrender their remaining arms.”