Group Hails Education Opportunities For 9,000 Ex-Agitators Under Amnesty Programme

The Niger Delta Youths for Positive Change (NDYPC) has commended the ongoing deployment of over 9,000 Niger Delta youths and former agitators into universities and other institutions of learning in Nigeria and abroad under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

The group described the initiative as a critical investment in sustainable peace, regional development, and political stability.

According to NDYPC, the education-focused approach of the Amnesty Programme directly addresses long-standing drivers of unrest in the Niger Delta, including youth unemployment, economic marginalisation, and limited access to opportunities.

In a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja by its global coordinator, Comrade Elliot Yibakeni, the group described the initiative as a strategic, people-centred intervention that lays the foundation for lasting peace, inclusive development, and electoral goodwill ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“For decades, the Niger Delta region has witnessed recurring cycles of agitation and insecurity, largely driven by marginalisation and weak human capital development. Militancy often thrives in communities where hope is scarce and social investment limited,” NDYPC said.

The organisation noted that redirecting former agitators and vulnerable youths into formal education represents a decisive shift from reactive security measures to long-term nation-building.

Beneficiaries enrolled in local and foreign tertiary institutions are being equipped with skills, knowledge, and qualifications needed for meaningful economic participation and responsible community leadership.

Beyond academic certification, NDYPC stated that the programme is producing skilled professionals, technocrats, and future leaders capable of contributing to grassroots governance, entrepreneurship, and sustainable regional growth.

The group further highlighted that communities across the Niger Delta are already recording positive outcomes, including reduced tension, improved social cohesion, and renewed trust in government interventions.

Parents, traditional rulers, and other stakeholders increasingly view the programme as evidence of a genuine commitment to inclusive development and youth empowerment.

From a political perspective, NDYPC added, policies with direct social impact often generate lasting goodwill and legitimacy.

“As the 2027 general elections approach, beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme constitute a growing constituency demonstrating the importance of inclusive governance in promoting national stability and democratic continuity,” he said.

The group urged successive administrations to sustain and expand the education-driven model of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, describing it as a replicable framework for addressing youth restiveness, insecurity, and development challenges across Nigeria.