Ex-Militants Petition EFCC Over Misuse Of Amnesty Fund

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has received a petition from some former militants from the Niger Delta regarding alleged financial misappropriation at the Presidential Amnesty Program.

In a petition sent to the EFCC on Friday, the ex-militants, under the banner of the Niger Delta Liberators and Ex-Agitators Forum, demanded a probe into the activities of the program led by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Niger Delta Affairs, Dennis Otuaro.

The forum asked the EFCC to investigate the award of contracts to moribund companies and the misappropriation of over 50 billion naira of public funds meant for the development of the Nigeria Delta region.

In a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Saturday, the forum convener, Odey Otunu, claimed that the award of contracts to moribund companies was in clear violation of procurement regulations.

He said, “We all acknowledge the interest of the President Tinubu-led government in the development of the Niger Delta Region through the release of funds for Niger Delta-oriented government parastatals like the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Presidential Amnesty Office.

“As a group, we cannot fold our hands and watch those who are supposed to be beacons of hope and pilots of the development in the Niger Delta Region become our nightmares, hence this to amplify the plight of the region before things get out of hand.

The former militants vowed to embark on a protest if no probe was initiated into the allegations and the program coordinator was not investigated.

“If nothing is done, we will mobilize for a peaceful protest to drive home their request to ensure accountability,” Otunu warned.

However, as of the time of filing the report, the program coordinator, Dennis Otuaro, has yet to respond to the message sent to his mobile phone.