Nigeria misses militant deadline

By Caroline Duffield
BBC News, Lagos

Thousands of militants have surrendered under an amnesty

Nigerian oil militant leaders say government rehabilitation camps being set up to receive thousands of disarmed fighters are not ready to process them.

They had been due to report on Wednesday, as part of an amnesty deal under which they gave up their weapons in return for education and employment.

The few militants who have enrolled at camps are reported to be spending their days playing football.

The authorities say setting up the centres is a slow process.

Frustration

It has been more than five weeks since the amnesty period expired - the date by which young guerrilla fighters in the oil-rich Niger Delta had to disarm.

Will Delta amnesty bring peace?

In return, they were promised education and even jobs.

The idea was to give them a different future.

Militant leaders are now voicing frustration, saying there is no clarity from the government about the way forward.

It is understood a small number of young men have reported to centres in Rivers and Delta States - but there is no training happening at the centres.

The militants say they have carried out their side of the bargain - and they now want to see educational programmes set up and campus leadership in place.

A spokesman for Defence Minister Godwin Abbe told the BBC that there were still many details to be worked out.

He said it was a slow process, and he could give no date by when the camps would be ready.