… describe attacks as unwarranted
By Fortune Eromosele, Abuja

The Ijaw Youths Council, IYC Worldwide has condemned the recent attacks and spurious allegations of misappropriation levelled against the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Major General Barry Ndiomu (rtd.).

The umbrella body of all Ijaw youths described the attacks as “unwarranted, wicked and a calculated attempt to truncate the Amnesty Programme of the federal government.”

A statement issued by the IYC National Spokesman, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, accused disgruntled elements who he noted were stopped from perpetuating fraud in the Presidential Amnesty Office, of orchestrating the attacks and spreading falsehood about Ndiomu.

The statement assured that the people of the Niger Delta region, including the IYC are unwavering in their support for Ndiomu, stressing that since assumption of office, he has embarked on laudable programmes aimed at uplifting the beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme, and hopes to implement more programmes.

The statement added that, “the call on President Bola Tinubu to halt the allocated N5.6 billion which was approved by the outgone Buhari administration to the Interim Administrator over alleged fraudulent contracts, with payments already uploaded to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform, is an ill-intentioned and desperate attempt to truncate the Amnesty Programme which has benefitted the youths from the region.”

The IYC warned “ghost stakeholders” and “anti-Niger Delta elements and their faceless sponsors” behind the rising media attacks on the Presidential Amnesty Office to stop their campaign of calumny and support the ongoing programmes and policies of the Amnesty Office under the leadership of Maj. Gen. Barry T. Ndiomu (rtd.).

While it commended the Presidential Amnesty Office over the recently launched N1.5 billion Cooperative Fund in the Amnesty Programme Cooperative Society Limited (PAPCOSOL) for beneficiaries, the statement urged the Amnesty Office to sustain the initiative as it would strategically and directly empower ex-agitators in the Niger Delta.

According to the statement, “the launch of the scheme at the Amnesty Office, is a noble initiative and should be celebrated rather than being condemned by individuals and faceless groups who do not mean well for the region, as they engage in baseless claims due to bottled anger and envy against a performing Interim Administrator.”

The statement further urged President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians at large, to disregard claims of misappropriation at the Presidential Amnesty Office and rather expedite action on the confirmation of Ndiomu as substantive Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.