Amnesty Programme Sends 161 Niger Delta Beneficiaries to UK for Studies

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has commended President Bola Tinubu for his steadfast support of the scheme’s education-focused initiatives, following the offer of scholarships to 161 persons from the Niger Delta for postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom.

Otuaro, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Igoniko Oduma, described the move as a major step in closing the human capacity development gap in the region. He said the mobilization of beneficiaries for the 2025/2026 academic session underscored President Tinubu’s personal commitment to the Niger Delta and his Renewed Hope Agenda.

“I am eternally grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for graciously supporting the Presidential Amnesty Programme. But for the President’s magnanimity, it would not have been possible for us to send 161 beneficiaries to universities in the UK. The number is huge and it aligns with his Renewed Hope Agenda and reflects his undying love for the Niger Delta,” Otuaro said.

He also acknowledged the role of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, whose oversight and guidance, he noted, provided the strategic direction that ensured the success of the deployment.

The PAP administrator urged the beneficiaries to approach the opportunity with diligence and a sense of responsibility, reminding them that their scholarships were both a privilege and a duty.

“This is not just an academic pursuit. It is a nation-building mission. You are going as ambassadors of peace, development, and renewed hope,” he added.

Otuaro stressed that large-scale scholarship deployment aligns with the government’s broader objective of investing in people and fostering a peaceful and economically vibrant Niger Delta.

He argued that sustained investment in education and vocational training remains the most effective way of addressing long-standing grievances and socio-economic disparities in the region.

Beyond commending the initiative, Otuaro also called on Niger Deltans to rally behind President Tinubu in his 2027 re-election bid, describing him as a leader who had shown “clear and practical goodwill” towards the region.

He reaffirmed PAP’s commitment to expanding access to quality education and skills development, insisting that sustained interventions of this nature could gradually resolve the region’s historic developmental challenges.

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