A group of former Niger Delta militants has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged mismanagement of funds at the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
The petition, submitted to the EFCC on Friday, was filed by the Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum, who are calling for an investigation into the activities of the programme led by Dennis Otuaro, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Niger Delta Affairs.
The forum is urging the EFCC to probe the award of contracts to non-operational companies and the alleged misappropriation of over 50 billion naira in public funds intended for the development of the Niger Delta region. In a statement issued on Saturday, the forum’s convener, Odey Otunu, accused the programme of violating procurement regulations by awarding contracts to companies that are no longer functional.
Otunu expressed support for the President Tinubu-led government’s efforts to develop the Niger Delta, particularly through the allocation of funds to institutions like the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Presidential Amnesty Programme. However, he criticized those responsible for managing the funds, describing them as having turned from “beacons of hope” to “nightmares” for the region.
The former militants have threatened to organize a peaceful protest if no investigation is launched into the allegations and if Otuaro, the programme coordinator, is not held accountable. “If nothing is done, we will mobilize for a peaceful protest to demand accountability,” Otunu warned.
