By Comfort Olayinka
A coalition of young activists from the oil-rich Niger Delta has issued a powerful call for justice and transparency, demanding an urgent investigation into alleged large-scale corruption in the Presidential Amnesty Program under its current Coordinator, Mr. Dennis Otuaro.
Operating under the banner of Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change, the group accused Mr. Otuaro of turning the Amnesty Program into a “private business empire,” claiming funds meant for the rehabilitation and empowerment of ex-agitators are being funneled into fraudulent contracts and favoritism.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the group’s spokesperson, Comrade Lion Ogorry, urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate all financial dealings, contract approvals, and training initiatives sanctioned under Mr. Otuaro’s leadership.
‘We, the Niger Delta Concerned Youths for Change, are calling on the EFCC to act swiftly and without fear or favour. We demand a comprehensive investigation into all financial transactions, contract awards, and projects approved by Mr. Dennis Otuaro since he assumed office. Let every naira be accounted for. Let every fraudulent contract be exposed.”
“We will not remain silent while the future of our region is mortgaged,” Ogorry declared. “We demand accountability. We demand justice. And we demand it NOW!”
The Amnesty Program, established in 2009 to rehabilitate and reintegrate former militants in the Niger Delta, has long been seen as crucial to sustaining peace in the region. However, concerns over mismanagement and lack of transparency have plagued the program in recent years.
The group also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene, stressing that the integrity of the program and the stability of the Niger Delta are at stake.
“We also call on the Presidency, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to urgently intervene in this matter. The Amnesty Program is too important to the fragile peace and development of the Niger Delta to be turned into an avenue for selfish enrichment and patronage.”
“Enough is enough,” the statement concluded. “We call on all Nigerians of conscience to join us in demanding an end to this betrayal.”
