The Niger Delta Environmental Justice Coalition has insisted that Kingsley Kuku, the former administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), along with several ex-agitators, are one ones orchestrating destabilization efforts that include blackmail and malicious media attacks against Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, the current administrator of the PAP, Tantita CEO/Chairman, Government Tompolo.
In a statement released by the coalition’s spokesman, Comrade Abalagha Adawari, the group alleges that Kuku and his associates, including High Chief Bibopre Ajube, known as General Shoot at Sight, and Chief Ebikabowei Victor-Ben, also known as Gen. Boyloaf, are undermining the peace in the Niger Delta. The coalition contends that these actions are attempts to damage Dr. Otuaro’s reputation as he implements significant reforms within the PAP.
The coalition statement follows remarks made by Kuku through a group, the Niger-Delta Youths Alliance, which claimed that no subsequent administrators have matched the standards set during Kuku’s tenure. The group praised Kuku for empowering thousands of youths, women, and children in the region, asserting that his accomplishments surpassed those of his successors.
However, the coalition has dismissed these claims as unfounded. “Kingsley Kuku and his group cannot rewrite history,” they stated, highlighting that under Kuku’s leadership, oil production in the region plummeted to an all-time low, producing less than a million barrels per day. “How can a man who superintended the worst era of oil production have the effrontery to talk about achievements?” they questioned.
The coalition emphasized the positive changes Dr. Otuaro has brought to the Amnesty Programme, particularly his efforts to eradicate corruption and inefficiencies that previously plagued the system. They noted that under Dr. Otuaro’s administration, the program has seen transformative leadership, with a renewed focus on increasing Nigeria’s oil production to two million barrels per day.
Key to these reforms is the establishment of a task force that includes various anti-corruption agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the office of the National Security Adviser, (ONSA), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NIFU).This task force is dedicated to ensuring accountability in the disbursement of funds, a significant move towards transparency.
The coalition further berated Kuku and the ex-agitators, accusing them of being jealous of Government Tompolo, who over the years has carried himself with grace and class. “While Tompolo has built something for himself through the establishment of Tantita, a private security firm employing and empowering many Niger Delta youths, some of the agitators have nothing to show for it except trying to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the Niger Delta,” the group said.
The coalition has also urged former militants who believe they are owed payments for completed contract jobs to present verifiable evidence, assuring that all legitimate claims will be thoroughly investigated. They emphasized that the era of fraudulent contract submissions is over.
Dr. Otuaro’s administration is aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision to rehabilitate ex-militants and create sustainable job opportunities for the youth in the Niger Delta, thus contributing to the President’s agenda for poverty alleviation.
The coalition also highlighted that just last year, 2,500 ex agitators graduated and have now been successfully deployed, impacting Niger-Delta.
The Niger Delta Environmental Justice Coalition calls for an immediate halt to the blackmail and media attacks against Dr. Otuaro, reaffirming his commitment to reforming the Amnesty Programme for the benefit of the Niger Delta community.
