Fresh controversy is brewing around the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) as a prominent Ijaw voice, writing under the name Creekman has accused the Interim Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, of poor leadership and neglect of students sponsored under the scheme.
In a fiery statement that has stirred reactions across the Niger Delta, Creekman alleged that the current administration of the Amnesty Office has “lost focus” and allowed indiscipline and incompetence to take root among its staff, leaving many beneficiaries stranded and frustrated.
“Dr. Otuaro must adopt a hands-on leadership style instead of delegating responsibilities to people who lack seriousness and commitment,” the statement read. “Our students are suffering in unfamiliar cities with no proper coordination or support.”
The outspoken Ijaw commentator lamented that students who recently completed their undergraduate and postgraduate studies were being left without accommodation or basic logistics, forcing many to endure hardship far from home — despite the Federal Government’s continued funding of the program under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Imagine the pain of traveling from the creeks to an unfamiliar city amidst rising insecurity,” he said. “If the Amnesty boss is not ready or does not understand the vision of this program, he should step aside before things get worse.”
According to Creekman, the Presidential Amnesty Programme — originally designed to empower and reintegrate ex-agitators — has been reduced to a “shadow of itself” under the current management. He warned that the ongoing neglect could undermine peace and stability in the Niger Delta if not urgently addressed.
Sources close to some amnesty students confirmed to reporters that several beneficiaries have been struggling to secure accommodation in major cities like Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Lagos since their relocation for academic programs. One student who spoke anonymously described the situation as “disheartening,” saying, “We are left to fend for ourselves. The office doesn’t even respond to our calls anymore.”
Creekman further reminded the Federal Government that the amnesty initiative was a hard-won instrument of peace in the oil-rich region and must not be allowed to collapse due to poor leadership.
“President Tinubu has made adequate provisions for the success of this program. The problem is not money — it is leadership,” he declared.
As of press time, efforts to reach the Amnesty Office for comments on the allegations were unsuccessful, as officials neither answered calls nor replied to messages.
Meanwhile, the statement has sparked heated discussions among Niger Delta youth leaders and ex-agitators, with many calling for urgent intervention to save the program from what they describe as “a dangerous drift.”
