Ex-N’Delta agitators kick, refute graft claims against Otauro, Tompolo

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

Some former Niger Delta agitators under the aegis of Concerned Niger Delta Youths have protested and refuted corruption allegation levelled against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dennis Otauro, and Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo.

Recall that some former agitators, Ben Ebikabowei Victor and Bibopere Azube, among others, had accused Otauro and Tompolo of graft in the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

But Leader of the Amnesty Phase 3, Emma Satu, at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja, implored the international community to ignore the allegations by Victor and Azube.

Satu said: “For the sake of clarity, Dr Dennis Burutu Otuaro as Amnesty Administrator has exhibited transparency, accountability and prudent management of amnesty funds.

“A recent audit of the Amnesty Office showed he has performed creditably since his appointment. The Amnesty Office that was characterized by unwholesome practices has now been sanitized, Beneficiaries are paid their monthly stipend regularly and on time and the core objective of the programme is being achieved.

“To us, this act of desperation by BoyLoaf and Shoot at Sight, throwing the supposed brothers to the lions to feast on is not only callous, but evil and wicked and must be condemned by all right-thinking individuals.

“The international community should note that allegations of crimes against humanity, kidnapping, corruption, misappropriation of funds and other malpractices as posited by the protesters are a figment of the imagination of Ben Ebikabowei Victor (BoyLoaf) and Bibopere Azube (Shoot at Sight) fueled by hatred, jealousy and desperation.”

He tasked the federal government through the National Security Adviser, Service Chiefs and Inspector General of Police “to double their efforts towards all peace initiatives in the Niger Delta while also calling on the international community to give much needed support to the people of the region, whose means of livelihood, which includes rivers, farmlands and crops have been destroyed due to oil exploration activities of multinationals.”