Amnesty Programme: Group lauds FG’s planned probe of N60bn fraud

A niger delta group, the Concerned Niger Deltans for Sustainable Development (CNDSD), has commended the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Babagana Muhammed Monguno to probe the looting of N60Billion Boro Town training facility in Bayelsa state and uncover those behind the non-existent fake supply contracts worth over N13 Billion.

The group, in a statement to us by its National Coordinator, Comrade James Ayibatekena, said that though there were a series of peaceful protests across the Niger Delta region seeking the removal of Prof. Dokubo from office, the decision of President Buhari to probe Prof. Dokubo should be supported by the people of the region.

This is amid condemnation by political and public affairs analysts over the appointment of Northerners as Caretaker Committee to review the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

Recall that DAILY POST reported that President Muhammadu Buhari, last Friday, suspended the coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Professor Charles Dokubo

Ayibatekena appealed to Niger Deltans to see the suspension of Prof. Dokubo as a welcome development, as his suspension will create a more conducive atmosphere for a thorough investigation into the alleged Multi-Billion-Naira fraud and corruption.

He called on Niger Deltans to remain calm, stating that the National Security Adviser Maj. Gen. Babagana Muhammed Monguno (rtd.) has good intentions for the Amnesty Programme and wants Ex-Agitators at the grass-root to benefit from the programme.

On the setting up of the Interim Caretaker Committee led by Amb. A. A. Lawal, which was constituted to carry out thorough investigations into the multi-billion-naira supply contracts fraud allegedly perpetrated by Prof. Dokubo and to protect the integrity of the investigation without fear or favor, the group urged Ex Agitators not to pay attention to the calls from a few individuals for protests and pipelines vandalization.

The group described the constituted Interim Caretaker Committee led by Amb. A. A. Lawal as a welcomed development, stating that Amb. A. A. Lawal is a great patriot who understands the massive investigative tasks ahead, “we assure the people of the region that following the conclusion of their investigations, a substantive Amnesty Committee will be constituted which he believes will be led an Ijaw person and patriot”.

Comrade James Ayibatekena called on the progressive minded people of the region to dismiss claims by some anti-Niger Delta elements that the Federal Government is attempting to appoint a Northerner as head of Amnesty office.

‘Let me remind the good people of the Niger Delta region that while Prof. Dokubo was allegedly orchestrating the greatest fraud and abomination in Ijaw-Land by looting the N60Billion Boro Town training facility in Bayelsa state, many of those so-called leaders were silent and they never spoke out against Prof. Dokubo’s alleged fraudulent activities against the Ijaw Nation”.

Meanwhile, two Public and political analysts, Mr. Tokpo Coronation and Comrade Wisdom Ikuli, in their separate views opined that the moves by the presidency to appoint Northerners to manage the Amnesty office in the interim is nepotism and clannishness taken too far.

Coronation, asked how a Northerners can head a commission in the Niger Delta region, adding that no Southerner has ever headed any agency in the north.

He said ”The moves must be resisted while we condemn it totally. For the interim, don’t we have Niger-Deltans to serve in the committee”

Major stakeholders in the region need to meet and sign a strong worded communiqué telling the presidency not to make a mistake to aggravate the crisis in the region, and they have to refrain from their decision as a matter of urgency.

Comrade Wisdom Ikuli, posited that the move is a misplaced one and whoever has advised on it is trying to make a very fundamental mistake, adding that its another form of neocolonialism.

“Dokubo ran an open door policy, was very accessible and everyone had access without any form of segregation. The stability of crude oil production in the region has increased due to peace. So my humble opinion is that those in position of authority should dialogue with our leaders for the way forward”

The region is in dire need of basic amenities, while Abuja that does not have any oil is developed every day courtesy our oil. What they are trying to do is provocative and if the Federal Government try to scrap the programme, that simply means they are saying that the young men that have been trained should go back to the creeks.