A coalition of young activists from the oil-rich Niger Delta has called for urgent action against what it describes as large-scale corruption within the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) under its current Coordinator, Mr. Dennis Otuaro.
Operating under the banner of the Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change (NDCYFC), the group accused Mr. Otuaro of turning the Amnesty Programme into a “private business empire,” alleging that funds meant for the rehabilitation and empowerment of ex-agitators are being diverted through fraudulent contracts and cronyism.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the group’s spokesperson, Comrade Lion Ogorry, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately launch a comprehensive investigation into all financial transactions, contract awards, and training initiatives executed under Mr. Otuaro’s leadership.
“We, the Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change, are calling on the EFCC to act decisively and without fear or favour. We demand a full investigation into all expenditures, contracts, and projects approved by Mr. Dennis Otuaro since assuming office. Every naira must be accounted for. Every fraudulent contract must be exposed,” Ogorry stated.
He added: “We will not remain silent while the future of our region is mortgaged. We demand accountability. We demand justice. And we demand it NOW!”
Established in 2009, the Presidential Amnesty Programme was designed to rehabilitate and reintegrate former militants in the Niger Delta as part of broader peace-building efforts. However, the initiative has in recent years faced persistent allegations of mismanagement and lack of transparency.
The group further appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene without delay, warning that both the integrity of the programme and the stability of the Niger Delta are under threat.
“We call on President Tinubu to urgently step in. The Amnesty Programme is too critical to the fragile peace and development of the Niger Delta to be turned into a platform for personal enrichment and political patronage,” Ogorry said.
The statement concluded with a call to action:
Enough is enough. We urge all Nigerians of conscience to stand with us in demanding an end to this betrayal of the Niger Delta people.”
