The Nigerian government offered amnesty to gunmen this June in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, urging them to lay down their weapons by Oct. 4 in a bid to end the unrest which has cost the African top oil exporter billions of dollars in revenue.
Over 8,000 Nigerian armed youths gave up their weapons and embraced the amnesty offered by the Nigerian government in the most concerted effort yet
to end years of fighting in the oil-rich producing region.
Jailed leader of Nigeria's major militant group in the oil-rich region, Henry Okah, was the first to embrace the amnesty package after the case
against him was withdrawn by the Nigerian federal government. Nigerian President Umaru Yar' Adua agreed to drop the charges against Okah after the militant accepted the government's unconditional amnesty.
The resounding success of the amnesty's package to the militants operating in the Niger Delta region is leading the way to progress in the troubled region.
Early this year, the militant's activities disrupted the country's economy and scared away potential investors. The armed youths in thousands
continue in bringing the country down from its position as the continent's top oil exporter and leaving in their wake untold destruction with dire
economic consequences for Nigeria.
A military operation spearhead by the Joint military task force (JTF) in southeast Nigeria's Delta State dislodged the stronghold of key militant
groups in the region.