The Niger Delta Environmental Justice Coalition has insisted that ex-agitators and other former members of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), are the ones behind media attacks against Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, the current administrator of the PAP and Government Tompolo, the CEO and Chairman of Tantita Security Network.

In a statement released by the coalition’s spokesman, Comrade Abalagha Adawari, the group also fingered an ex-PAP administrator for equally being a party. According to the coalition, “these actions are attempts to damage Dr. Otuaro’s reputation as he implements significant reforms within the PAP.”

The coalition was reacting to a statement it said was made by Kuku through a group, the Niger-Delta Youths Alliance which claimed that no subsequent administrators have matched the standards set during Kuku’s tenure.

“The group praised Kuku for empowering thousands of youths, women, and children in the region, asserting that his accomplishments surpassed those of his successors.”

But the coalition dismissed the claims as unfounded. “Kingsley Kuku and his group cannot rewrite history.”

“Under Kuku’s leadership, oil production in the region plummeted to an all-time low, producing less than a million barrels per day. How can a man who superintended the worst era of oil production have the effrontery to talk about achievements?”

It rather said the current leadership of the PAP has performed remarkably well.

It said it recognises “the positive changes Dr. Otuaro has brought to the Amnesty Programme, particularly his efforts to eradicate corruption and inefficiencies that previously plagued the system.

“Under Dr. Otuaro’s administration, the program has seen transformative leadership, with a renewed focus on increasing Nigeria’s oil production to two million barrels per day.

“Key to these reforms is the establishment of a task force that includes various anti-corruption agencies, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the office of the National Security Adviser, (ONSA), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NIFU).This task force is dedicated to ensuring accountability in the disbursement of funds, a significant move towards transparency.

“While Tompolo has built something for himself through the establishment of Tantita, a private security firm employing and empowering many Niger Delta youths, some of the agitators have nothing to show for it except trying to disrupt the peace being enjoyed in the Niger Delta,” the group said.”

To former militants, the coalition said “those who believe they are owed payments for completed contract jobs to present verifiable evidence, assuring that all legitimate claims will be thoroughly investigated. They emphasized that the era of fraudulent contract submissions is over.

“Dr. Otuaro’s administration is aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision to rehabilitate ex-militants and create sustainable job opportunities for the youth in the Niger Delta, thus contributing to the President’s agenda for poverty alleviation.

“Just last year, 2,500 ex agitators graduated and have now been successfully deployed, impacting Niger-Delta.”

The Niger Delta Environmental Justice Coalition called for what it described as “an immediate halt to the blackmail and media attacks against Dr. Otuaro, reaffirming his commitment to reforming the Amnesty Programme for the benefit of the Niger Delta community.”