The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has raised alarm over reports that some individuals are fraudulently collecting money from unsuspecting applicants under the guise of facilitating the ongoing PAP scholarship application for the 2025/2026 academic session.
Dr. Otuaro, in a firm warning issued during the opening ceremony of a three-day Strategic Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Training in Abuja, expressed displeasure over these claims, insisting that the PAP scholarship application process remains completely free of charge.
The event, organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, brought together key PAP stakeholders, where the PAP helmsman used the opportunity to address the growing concerns of extortion linked to the scholarship scheme.
According to a statement from his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Igoniko Oduma, Otuaro condemned the actions of those allegedly demanding money from parents and guardians of prospective scholarship applicants, describing such behaviour as fraudulent and detrimental to the integrity of the programme.
He emphasised that the scholarship scheme was established to enhance access to tertiary education and human capital development for Niger Delta youths, and not as a tool for exploitation.
“No applicant or parent should pay any amount to anyone,” he warned. “The scholarship process is designed to be transparent and fair, and my leadership is determined to ensure it remains so.”
He further cautioned those allegedly involved in the extortion to desist immediately or face the full weight of disciplinary action. “We will not tolerate any attempt to commercialise this process or tarnish its credibility. Any individual caught in such an act will be sanctioned accordingly,” Otuaro said.
Dr. Otuaro urged qualified candidates to apply through the official PAP portal and assured that the selection process would be based strictly on merit. He called on community leaders, stakeholders, and the public to actively discourage the collection of money for the scholarship and report any such cases.
Speaking to the workshop participants, he described them as key stakeholders in the region’s peace and stability and encouraged them to use the training to enhance their leadership roles as peace ambassadors of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
“You are also peace ambassadors of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” he stated. “Let the knowledge gained from this training help you contribute meaningfully to the ongoing peacebuilding efforts across the Niger Delta.”
Dr. Otuaro reaffirmed that the development of the Niger Delta remains a top priority of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and urged participants to take the workshop seriously in order to align with the broader goals of peace, stability, and progress in the region.
