More Niger Delta Youths Studying Under Amnesty Programme — Group

A Niger Delta advocacy group has said scores of youths from the region are currently studying in reputable universities and professional institutions across Nigeria and the United Kingdom under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

The group, Ijaw Interest Advocates (IIA), in a statement issued by its national coordinator, Arerebo Salaco Yerinmene Snr, said the development reflected a deliberate and strategic investment in human capacity development by the administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dennis Otuaro.

According to the group, beneficiaries of the programme are enrolled in credible universities and professional institutions where they are pursuing globally relevant and marketable courses, with many already graduating with good results while others continue to make steady progress.

The statement said the education-focused approach demonstrated Otuaro’s commitment to equip Niger Delta youths with skills required to compete favourably in national and international job markets.

It added that the current direction of the PAP aligned with its founding objective of transforming beneficiaries into skilled professionals capable of contributing meaningfully to the development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria’s broader economy.

The group noted that under Otuaro’s leadership, the programme was undergoing a structured transformation, producing graduates prepared for key sectors such as oil and gas, maritime operations, engineering, international energy markets and other emerging global industries.

IIA called on stakeholders, community leaders and policymakers in the Niger Delta to support the ongoing educational initiatives, describing them as critical to securing a more prosperous future for the region.

The group also urged President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser to disregard what it described as politically motivated calls for Otuaro’s removal, arguing that such demands were driven by individuals whose interests had been affected by reforms within the programme.

It maintained that the PAP was no longer being run as a “personal cocoa farm,” adding that Otuaro should remain focused on delivering his mandate.

“The achievements recorded under his leadership will continue to speak louder than distractions,” the statement said, while pledging the group’s continued support for the PAP administrator.