The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has dispatched more than 140 of its foreign scholarship beneficiaries to pursue postgraduate studies at universities in the United Kingdom.
The announcement was made in a statement on Friday by Mr. Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator of PAP, Dennis Otuaro. According to the agency, the initiative is a direct contribution to President Bola Tinubu’s development agenda for the Niger Delta.
Established in 2009 to address militancy through disarmament and rehabilitation of ex-agitators, the PAP has since broadened its scope to include skills training, formal education, and empowerment projects that promote peace and sustainable growth in the oil-rich region.
Speaking during a pre-departure orientation at the Programme’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, Otuaro emphasized that the foreign scholarship is designed to bridge the gap in human capital development in the Niger Delta.
“Today, we are deploying more than 140 beneficiaries for postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom. On their return, they will contribute significantly to the socio-economic transformation of the Niger Delta, while enriching the human capital base of both the region and the country,” he said.
He further explained that the deployment focuses on “industry-competitive and professional disciplines,” ensuring that graduates emerge with globally relevant skills capable of making a lasting impact.
“Beyond this foreign scholarship scheme, PAP also runs education and vocational programmes within the country. But this component is targeted at producing high-end professionals with expertise that meets international standards,” Otuaro added.
He urged the scholars to stay committed to their academic pursuits and avoid distractions that could jeopardize the Federal Government’s investment in their future.
