....Where Did the Money Go? Ex-Agitators Question N339m PAP Training Payment

A review of Nigeria’s public expenditure tracking platform, Govspend, has revealed that the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs disbursed N339 million for a capacity-building training programme reportedly organised for stakeholders of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

According to details published on the portal, the payment was processed on June 19, 2026, by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs.

The payment description stated that the funds were released for the conduct of a capacity-building training programme for 120 stakeholders of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Batch 3, held in Abuja beginning from March 23, 2026.

The development has, however, sparked criticism from some Niger Delta ex-agitators, who have questioned the legitimacy of the training and called for an investigation into the activities of the Amnesty Office under the leadership of Administrator Dennis Otuaro.

Speaking on behalf of a group of Niger Delta ex-agitators, Mulade Israel called on President Bola Tinubu to remove Otuaro from office and order a thorough probe into the management of funds allocated to the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

According to Israel, He alleged that the exercise was a “ghost training” and claimed that the funds may not have been used for the purpose stated.

He further accused Otuaro of neglecting the core objectives of the Amnesty Programme, which include the training, empowerment and welfare of former agitators in the Niger Delta region.

Israel alleged that instead of focusing on the programme’s intended beneficiaries, the Amnesty Office has prioritised individuals closely connected to Otuaro, particularly people from his Gbaramatu community, as well as friends and associates, while allegedly creating avenues to siphon funds from the Amnesty Programme for personal use.

He also claimed that the administration of the programme has created divisions among ex-agitators, alleging that certain individuals are being favoured while others have been sidelined.

“Dennis Otuaro has abandoned the main purpose of the programme. The focus should be on training, empowerment, welfare and improved stipends for beneficiaries. Instead, the programme has become centred around a select group of people while many genuine beneficiaries continue to suffer,” Israel said.

The ex-agitators also expressed concern over what they described as delays in the payment of monthly stipends to beneficiaries, despite the programme reportedly receiving about N9.5 billion monthly.

According to them, the welfare system of the Amnesty Programme has deteriorated, leaving many beneficiaries frustrated and uncertain about their future.

Israel called on anti-corruption agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to investigate the activities and financial transactions carried out under Otuaro’s administration.

“We are calling on President Bola Tinubu to immediately remove Dennis Otuaro as Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme and direct agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC to investigate his activities and the management of public funds during his tenure,” he stated.

The concerns add to longstanding grievances among some former agitators, who have repeatedly complained about inadequate welfare packages, limited access to training and empowerment opportunities, and the exclusion of certain beneficiaries from the programme.

Several ex-agitators have also renewed calls for individuals who were previously delisted from the Amnesty Programme by former administrators to be reinstated and allowed to benefit from its welfare and development initiatives.