Femi Folaranmi,Yenagoa
Niger Delta stakeholders under the aegis of Niger Delta Restoration Alliance (NDRA) have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to disband the five-man Investigative Committee set up by the office of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Mohammed Monguno (rtd.) over the alleged corrupt practices and corruption against the former Amnesty Coordinator, Prof. Charles Quaker Dokubo.
The group which declared that the tenure of the probe panel set up on the 28th of February has expired on the 24th of April, 2020 appealed to the President to replace the investigative committee with the immediate appointment of a substantive coordinator that will take the amnesty issues beyond paying stipends, sustain the existing peace and initiate security policy initiatives on behalf of Mr. President, and people in the region.
NDRA in a statement issued in Yenagoa and signed by its coordinator, Dr Biewari James Apulu stated that the appointment of a substantive amnesty coordinator with superior supervision from the Presidency will accelerate the efficiency of the programme and reduced distractions associated with fraud.
The group which wondered why investigators from the EFCC, ICPC and DSS were all shut out of the investigations by the probe panel insisted on the disbandment of the panel since it is allegedly operating outside its mandate after its tenure expired.
The statement read in part: “Late former President Umaru Musa Yara’dua established the Amnesty programme to rehabilitate and reintegrate ex-agitators in the Niger Delta region whose lands have been devastated by crude oil exploration and production activities that generates over 95 percent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings”.
“The Niger Delta region comprises of nine (9) states with millions of experienced and qualified individuals, however not even one person from the entire Niger Delta region was appointed as a member of the investigative committee. Members of the committee have relatively no experience in dealing with ex-agitators and people from the region, since none of the committee’s member was from the Niger Delta region, which would have provided the committee with some insight to the severity of issues faced by ex-agitators, their families, and people in the region.”
The people of the Niger Delta region have lost faith and confidence with members of the Amnesty investigative committee. The Amnesty programme is beyond paying stipends as there are numerous programmes that a substantive coordinator from the region can initiate on behalf of Mr. President, and people in the region will be grateful and appreciative of the President.
The amnesty programme is a security programme which continues to guarantee the peace and stability in the Niger Delta region, therefore, the President should look beyond politics in appointing a substantive coordinator from the region.”