Two leaders of ex-militants, Messrs Aso Rambo and Stephen Ebisinte, on Tuesday sought to be joined in a suit over the alleged diversion of stipends for 75 ex-militants who embraced the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

The ex-agitators had brought the application through their counsel, Mr Stanley Damabide, before a Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa.

The court had on September 26 summoned Prof. Charles Dokubo, Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty, over alleged diversion of stipends meant for 75 former militants.

Also summoned to appear before Justice Awogboro Abimbolawere were the Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Isaac Ityohuma, and Head of Reintegration in the Presidential Amnesty office, Mr. Aroloye Brown.

The judge heard the application and the opposition to the application for joinders by counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Richard Turner, and adjourned to December 10 for ruling on the application for joinders.

However, the defence led counsel, Mr. Tamaratarei Ali-Bozi, did not object to the applications for joinders.

Ebisintei was accosted at the court premises by policemen who claimed to be from the Bayelsa State Police Command who told him that he was wanted at the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Command over a petition against him.

The policemen took Ebisintei away from the court premises to the Command’s headquarters in Yenagoa.

The defendants were dragged to court by some 75 ex-militants under the Benuwolo Camp in the 2nd phase of the scheme, who accepted the Presidential Amnesty in 2010.

The militants are demanding payment of outstanding N492 million for the 75 members of the camp from January 2011 to May 2019.

The group prayed the court to declare that the alleged fraudulent manipulation of the 75 slots allotted to Benuwolo Camp by officials of the Amnesty Office in connivance with some ex-militants as unlawful.

The militants had in their statement of claims filed by their counsel, Mr. Richard Turner, urged the court to order the Amnesty Office to revert the 75 slots of the Camp and halt further diversion of slots by the office.

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