Good, but not good enough: what church leaders think about the Presidential Amnesty Programme in Rivers State, Nigeria

Studies gauging opinions about the effectiveness of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) as a peace building strategy in the Niger Delta abound. However, none has gauged the opinions of church leaders regarding the PAP especially in Rivers State. This is despite the fact that church leaders are key stakeholders and have played significant roles in peace-building in many societies across the globe. The present study, therefore, explored the views of church leaders about the effectiveness of the PAP with respect to the current spate of insecurity and conflict in Rivers State. Information was elicited from sixteen church leaders across different communities in Rivers State. A descriptive narrative approach was employed in the thematic organization and analysis of data. Some of the church leaders, as findings showed, believe that although the PAP has empowered some ex-militants and ended the anti-state rebellion, it has only succeeded in redirecting the attention of the militants to the local residents of Rivers State who are currently the victims of violent crimes such as killings, kidnapping, armed robbery etc. Others see the PAP as cash for peace approach that encourages violence in the state. An all-inclusive approach to peace building and a church-led advocacy were suggested by the participants as the possible solutions to the persistence of insecurity and conflicts in Rivers State.