The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) says it is not owing school fees of 5,000 students of Itsekiri extraction in Novena University, Ogume, Delta State.
The PAP made this known via a statement issued by Igoniko Oduma, the Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, Dennis Otuaro, on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
The PAP stated that the agency is not owing fees in Novena or any institution within or outside Nigeria.
The agency was reacting to claims by Office of the Sole Representative of His Royal Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri to NNPLC, that the amnesty programme is “indebted” to Novena University concerning “all Itsekiri students” who graduated from the institution purportedly under the programme’s scholarship scheme.
The monarch’s agent, Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, said the alleged liability made the Olu’s palace to announce an intervention to settle the “outstanding tuition and clearance fees” of all the affected Itsekiri graduates of Novena.
Reacting, the PAP said there were no records in Novena University and the Amnesty Office concerning award of scholarship to the 5000 Itsekiri students of the institution.
The agency explained that the report of an inquiry into the issue by previous heads of the agency revealed that the 5000 Itsekiri indigenes were sent to the management of Novena University by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in 2017 without the involvement of the agency.
It added that it was not conceivable for the PAP to take responsibility for the students who were not deployed by the agency.
The PAP stated: “To set the records straight, it is necessary to inform the public that the affected Itsekiri graduates were a subject of a formal investigation launched by a previous PAP leadership into allegations of scholarship admission racketeering under the programme’s formal education at Novena. Three other partnering universities were also investigated.
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“The report of the inquiry showed that the affected Itsekiri graduates constituted a list of 5000 Itsekiri indigenes that was sent to the management of Novena University by the Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC) in 2017 purporting them to be PAP scholarship beneficiaries.
“The investigation revealed that the list in question did not emanate from the PAP, and did not also have any authorization or approval of the Amnesty Programme office. Therefore, the affected Itsekiri indigenes could not have been deemed to be beneficiaries of the PAP scholarship scheme.
“Additionally, the inquiry also revealed that there was no correspondence between the PAP and Novena university indicating that the PAP approved the purported list of 5000 Itsekiri students to be deployed to the institution.
“The investigative committee, during its work, met with the INYC president and the secretary, as well as principal officers of Novena University, led by its Vice-Chancellor who could not produce any documentation between the PAP and the institution on the affected Itsekiri graduates.
“At the end of the exercise, the PAP duly informed the management of Novena University that the Amnesty Programme office would not bear any liability for the affected students. Doing so would have amounted to encouraging sharp practices.
“Therefore, the PAP could not have accepted responsibility and obligation where it had none. The affected Itsekiri graduates of Novena University that the Olu’s palace is intervening for, were never beneficiaries of the amnesty programme’s scholarship.
“All the PAP administrations that preceded the current one headed by the Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, had seen the official report of the investigation and they respected the incontrovertible truth so established.
“Thankfully, Dr Otuaro has expanded the PAP scholarship scheme in order to create more access to higher education for ex-agitators and beneficiaries, and aggressively bridge the human capital development gap in the Niger Delta.
“His noble reforms and initiatives to ensure that the PAP renders efficient service to the people of the Niger Delta have been applauded in official quarters, as well as by all well-meaning individuals and organisations.
“Dr Otuaro remains unwaveringly committed to deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate, especially through his policy of inclusivity, to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, for the Niger Delta.”
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