• Amnesty Programme boss decries extortion of applicants, vows to punish culprits
• Says fraudulent acts undermine transparency, threaten purpose of education scheme
• Urges stakeholders to uphold peacebuilding goals of Tinubu’s administration
The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, has warned that the ongoing scholarship application process for the 2025/2026 academic session is entirely free, cautioning that no money should be paid to any individual or group for assistance in the process.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.
The statement reads partly:”I have received reports alleging some stakeholders collect money from applicants, parents and guardians with fake promises concerning the ongoing scholarship application process for the 2025/2026 academic year.
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“For the avoidance of doubt, the scholarship application process is free. No one should collect money from anybody; nobody should encourage someone to collect or give money to anybody for the scholarship exercise. It is free.
“The scholarship programme is a deliberate scheme for our people for a better tomorrow, it is not for our today. My leadership is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability even in the management of the scholarship award process.
“Those engaged in the alleged bad act should stop because I will not allow anyone to compromise the integrity of the application process. I urge all stakeholders to help discourage the collection of money for the scholarship.”
Otuaro, who made the comments during the opening ceremony of the third batch of a three-day training on Strategic Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation organised by PAP in collaboration with the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, expressed deep concern over alleged extortion by individuals posing as stakeholders.
He stated that information available to his office revealed that certain unscrupulous persons were allegedly demanding money from parents and guardians of applicants under the false promise of securing them scholarship slots.
He condemned the act as fraudulent, unacceptable and damaging to the integrity of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, warning that anyone caught engaging in such misconduct would face severe consequences.
Otuaro advised all potential beneficiaries to submit their applications through the official PAP portal and await proper communication from the office. He emphasised that the scheme was aimed at promoting access to higher education for youths in the Niger Delta and enhancing the region’s human capital development.
He reiterated his commitment to ensuring a credible and transparent process, stressing that the vision of the scholarship initiative must not be hijacked by corrupt elements for personal gain.
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He added that the scholarship scheme was a deliberate investment in the future of the Niger Delta and aligned with the broader peace and development goals of the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu.
During the event, the PAP Administrator described participants of the training as key actors in peacebuilding and community leadership, urging them to take the workshop seriously and apply the knowledge gained towards sustaining peace in their various communities.
“You are, in fact, also peace ambassadors of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, GCFR.
“Therefore, you are expected to deploy the knowledge you would gain from this training to strengthen the ongoing peacebuilding process of PAP because the development of the region is in the priority agenda of the President,”he added.
Otuaro declared the training open with a firm message on the importance of leadership and integrity in sustaining the gains of the Amnesty Programme, stating that the exercise was designed to equip stakeholders with the tools to carry out their responsibilities effectively.
