News

Amnesty Programme Remains Critical To Mitigating Conflicts In The Niger Delta Region – Ndiomu

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2023

The Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Maj. Gen. Barry Ndiomu (rtd) has affirmed that the programme remains a critical tool to mitigate conflicts in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The PAP as initiated and signed into law by late former President Umaru Yar’Adua on June 25, 2009, was conceived as a special intervention programme of the Federal Government to disarm, demobilze and reintegrate ex-agitators who responded to calls to lay down their arms.

While delivering a lecture on Friday at the National Defence College Abuja, General Ndiomu recalled that 13 years down the line, the PAP has played a more critical role in stemming agitations, compared to the efforts of other intervention modules in the past.

The lecture titled ‘Concepts of War and Theories of Peace in Conflict Management: Niger Delta Post – Amnesty Programmes in Perspective’, to mark the Module 7 of the lecture series of the College, Gen. Ndiomu listed corruption, inadequate funding, lack of political will and other factors, as responsible for the failure of various intervention agencies in the region.

Ndiomu who was represented by Flight Lieutenant Terry Ajogbena (rtd), his Technical Assistant, explained that the PAP has since embarked on its “3 Prong Model” – Robust Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic & Targeted Communication and Community Outreach, Peace Building & Reconciliation to manage conflicts in the Niger Delta.

He stated that the PAP is only a comprehensive arm of the Niger Delta Recovery Plan (NDRP), which also has the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ministry of Environment.

“The PAP is essentially a capacity building Programme,” he said.

While responding to questions on environmental remediation from participants at the Lecture, the PAP boss hinted that the Amnesty Programme has trained ex-agitators in environmental cleaning as well as remediation and made reference to Government Ekpomoplo aka Tomplo’s whose Tantita Security Services Limited is executing a Pipeline Surveillance Contract for the Federal Government.

He added that the region has enjoyed relative peace, with no reports of blowing up of pipelines and an increase in crude oil production.

In a remark, Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College, Major General Lawrence Fejokwu noted that since 1958 till date, various intervention agencies have struggled to address agitations in the region.

He recalled that when the Amnesty Programme kicked off, it was so successful such that other countries facing similar challenges, came to Nigeria to understudy the Programme.

News

DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials

Published

17 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed the arrest of one Mr. Eze Ezenwa Benard, who was recently apprehended for circulating fake DSS recruitment past questions and answers on Facebook.

The agency, while warning the public in a statement on Saturday, said the suspect operated through a page known as “Jobs and Education”, where he advertised the fraudulent materials and charged unsuspecting members of the public one thousand naira (N1,000) for access.

“The public is hereby cautioned to disregard any materials, as the DSS does not sell or distribute recruitment questions, answers, or examination guides through private individuals or social media pages. Recruitment into the Service, when necessary, follows specialised procedure in accordance with extant laws and due process,” the statement reads.

News

‘Na Only People You Gave Work Love You,’ Singer Speed Darlington Tells Tinubu

Published

18 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Singer Speed Darlington has told President Bola Tinubu that public admiration cannot be bought, warning that only those who received appointments or jobs from the government truly support him.

In a video posted on Saturday, August 23, the singer said, “Everything isn’t about the economy! There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you.”

Darlington, an Igbo man, urged Tinubu to focus on police reform and respect for human rights. “The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate. Please, before you leave office, please speak to your Yoruba brother IGP man,” he added.

News

Before You Leave Office, Reform The Police — Speed Darlington Urges Tinubu

Published

18 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Popular controversial singer Speed Darlington has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform the Nigerian Police Force, urging the government to prioritise citizens’ rights alongside economic growth.

In a video posted on Saturday, the entertainer criticised what he described as the police’s systemic human rights violations and oppressive practices.

“Mr President, before you leave office, whether you secure a second term or not, try your best to improve Nigeria. Everything isn’t about the economy!

“There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you,” he said.

The singer, who identifies as Igbo, urged Tinubu to engage with the Inspector-General of Police and implement reforms.

“As an Igbo man, the advice I can give you so people will know your name and remember you for something good is to reform the police. Reform the police.

“The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate,” he added.

Darlington also recounted his personal ordeal with law enforcement, highlighting the system’s abuse of power.

“I was held for two months after the judge had ordered my release. FID held me for two months. According to my lawyer, the Nigerian law gives only 28 days for investigation.

“They held me for two months. What is the extra month for? Because they can. If you give them money, they oppress your enemy. I have experienced it,” he said.