·As Ex-agitators cry foul, urge investigation into Otuaro’s conduct
The Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum, NDLEF, has urged an investigation into the conduct of Dennis Otuaro, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, over alleged misappropriation of funds.
In a petition, the NDLEF called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to probe the awarding of contracts to defunct companies, money laundering, and the alleged misappropriation of over 50 billion naira in public funds intended for the development of the Niger Delta region.
The group, led by its convener, Odey Otunu, made this known during a press briefing held in Abuja on Friday.
According to him, “We all acknowledge the interest of the President Bola Tinubu led government in the development of the Niger Delta region through the release of funds for Niger Delta oriented government parastatals like the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and the Presidential Amnesty Office.
“However, as a group, we cannot fold our hands and watch those who are supposed to be beacons of hope and pilots of the development in the Niger Delta Region become our nightmares. Hence this press briefing is necessary to amplify the plight of the region before things get out of hand.”
The group further alleged that a company by the name Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited (RC 1253803, incorporated on April 8, 2015), which is in the business of construction, has been awarded a contract by PAP for consultancy.
“This is clearly giving a mandate to the company to do what it lacks the legal capacity to do,” Otunu stated.
Otunu further said the most important discovery in their investigation is that they discovered that Maro-Kana Construction Co. Limited is moribund.
According to him, “A simple search with the Corporate Affairs Commission revealed that the company is inactive and therefore does not qualify to bid for government contract. Yet this is the company that without any bidding process has received billions of Naira perpetually for organizing fictitious stakeholder meetings only.”
He further said: “On July 10, 2024, the office of the special adviser to the President of Niger Delta paid ₦42,976,987.50 to Maro-Kana Construction Company Limited for consultancy on strategic communication and stakeholders’ management in the Niger Delta region, Bayelsa, and Cross River State for May 2024 with payment reference 1001194577-13, Payer Code: 0111002002.
“On July 17, 2024, the office of the special adviser to the president of Niger Delta paid ₦90,000,000.00 to Maro-Kana Construction Co Limited for reimbursement of stakeholders’ management meetings in Bayelsa State for June 2024 with payment reference 1001196052-39 and Payer Code: 0111002002.”
The group subsequently called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate these transactions, along with others outlined in the petition, stating that should no action be taken, they would resort to peaceful protest to press home their demand.
Recall that the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, has had six coordinators; from retired Major-General Godwin Abbe (2009-2010) as the pioneer Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and PAP coordinator/chairman to Timi Alaibe, a former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC; and Kingsley Kuku and retired Brig-Gen P.T. Boroh, whose tenures ended in 2015 and 2018 respectively, as well as Prof Charles Quaker Dokubo, who was replaced in February, 2020 by the current interim administrator, Colonel Milland Dixon Dikio (retd).
There was no major controversy when Abbe and Alaibe took charge of the office set up to address the unrest in the Niger Delta region via reintegrating the agitators back into the society.But before Dokubo came, his two immediate predecessors, Kuku and Boroh, were said to have been the guests of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Boroh’s successor, Dokubo, was also suspended on February 28, 2020 by President Buhari.
The then Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had said in a statement that the suspension was in line with the recommendation of a caretaker committee set up to look into allegations and petitions against Dokubo.
“Following numerous allegations and petitions surrounding the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the NSA set up a caretaker committee to look into the activities of the programme on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Part of the committee’s task is to ensure that allocated resources are properly utilised in consonance with government’s objective of alleviating problems in the Niger Delta region and stamping out corruption in the amnesty programme.
“Consequently, the NSA recommended to Mr President that the coordinator of the amnesty programme, Professor Charles Quaker Dokubo, be suspended, a recommendation that has been approved, and which takes immediate effect.”
According to a former agitator, why do you think that since after Timi Alaibe who we respect and honour as our father and leader, every other coordinator of PAP has been fingered in corruption? It is because all these people that are being appointed know nothing of the struggles and pain endured by average Niger Deltan: plus they know nothing about the pain and struggles of us, the former agitators. So how on earth do you think such persons can truly and honestly do the job they are appointed to do?”
