Weapons seized from cattle rustlers in Zamfara (file photo)

The European Union (EU) has set aside N392 million for training and resettlement of repentant cattle rustlers and militants under the amnesty programme, a member Presidential Committee, said on Sunday in Katsina.

Air Commodore Joseph Adeleke, a member of the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapon (PRESCOM), disclosed after inspecting 364 weapons surrendered by repentant cattle rustlers in Katsina state.

He said that the training and resettlement were under an alternative livelihood project to make the surrendered militants self-reliant.

Adeleke said that all the repentant militants would be trained in skills acquisitions to learn a trade that would stop them from going back to their old trade.

“The presidential committee on light arms has conducted a similar programme in Benue and Katsina states to display the surrendered weapons by the militants,” he said.

Adeleke said that Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kaduna were selected from the north-west while Cross River and Akwa Ibom were selected from the south-south for the project.

He said repentant militants would receive training on vocational skills and equipment would be provided to guaranty the continuation of their businesses.

“We initiated the project so that surrendered militants will not carry arms again.

“We will train them on skills acquisition and provide equipment to set up businesses,“ he said.

Adeleke said the alternative livelihood project would be implemented by the presidential committee and United Nation Development Programme (UNDP).

He said that the committee would soon commence biometric data of all repentant militants in the seven states to benefit from the programme.

He commended Katsina government for initiating amnesty programme for cattle rustlers, saying the move demonstrated the commitment of Gov. Aminu Masari to ensure peace and protection of lives and property in the state.

Earlier, the permanent secretary in the office of the secretary to the government of the state, Alhaji Sulieman Safana, said that government would fulfil its promise for the successful implementation of the programme.

Safana commended the presidential committee for its encouragement and introduction of alternative livelihood project for repentant militants.

He called on the repentant militants to desist from any act that was capable of truncating the amnesty programme.

(NAN)