News

Pay Amnesty Contractors Now, Or…, Ex-Militants Warn

Published

6 years ago

October 28, 2020

Following the non-payment of verified Presidential Amnesty Programme contractors from November, 2019 to date, and the rumours making the round on the alleged plans by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to scrap the programme, aggrieved ex-militants in the Niger Delta region have indicated interest to join the ongoing #EndSARS protests and use the platform to ask the National Security Adviser to the President, Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd) to facilitate the payment of all contractors within 48 hours, and also give account of his stewardship on the amnesty office.
Sources said that the ex-agitators may be preparing to unleash more hardship on the economy in the coming days, should the NSA’s office fail to oblige them their requests.
Speaking on a live radio programme monitored by The Tide in Yenagoa, last Monday, leader of the Third Phase of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), ‘General’ Ebi John, lamented the pains the ex-militants in the region were going through as a result of the non-payment of contractors handling various training and empowerment schemes of the programme.
He reiterated that the most critical part of the programme was the reintegration of the ex-agitators into civil life, which according to him, would enable them have sustainable sources of livelihood in line with the amnesty deal.
John said the Amnesty Office deliberately stopped payment of verified contractors since last November, which has resulted in the suspension of the training and empowerment of the ex-agitators, adding that the action was a clear indication that the rumoured plans to scrap the PAP by the present APC-led administration was true.
“Our findings indicate that Monguno, who is the National Security Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, is the brain behind the non-functioning of the programme because of his secret agenda of eventually scrapping the Presidential Amnesty Programme”, he said.
“The United Amnesty delegates are sending a message to Monguno that his plans to further loot funds meant for the programme, coupled with his secret plot to scrap the programme are now clear to the entire Niger Delta people, particularly the ex-militants, and we will resist it with our blood as usual”, the ex-militants noted.
“The non-payment of contractors/vendors by the Amnesty Office since November, last year, is a ploy by Monguno to cleverly scrap the Presidential Amnesty Programme, as beneficiaries of the programme no more undergo skills training because of the backlog of monies the office is owing contractors.
“We are calling on the Nigerian government to call Monguno to order in the next 48 hours, and prevail on him to pay all verified contractors to enable the beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme to return to their various training centres to continue with their training and empowerment schemes without further delay”, they reiterated.
“If the government fails to address this appalling situation within the next 48 hours, we shall have no other option than to go back to the creeks and take actions that will compel the Presidency to react appropriately, immediately”, they restated.
The ex-militants called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order Monguno to hand over everything that concerns the PAP office to Col Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd) to enable him begin to act as the substantive coordinator of the programme, saying that their demands should, as a matter of urgency, be met within the next 48 hours or else, they would go back to the creeks where they came from.
The ex-agitators hinted that information reaching them from reliable sources has it that the new amnesty boss cannot pay anyone because his hands are tied, saying that, “Col. Dikio (rtd) does not have any control over financial matters in the office, as approvals are made by the NSA, who is the one running the office”.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Amnesty Vendors’ Forum, Mr Samson Graham, had recently hinted that the Amnesty Office allegedly stopped paying contractors since November, 2019, for inexplicable reasons, saying that the contractors cannot continue their training and empowerment schemes without funds.
The sources quoted Graham to have appealed to the Presidency to facilitate the payment of verified contractors to enable them return to the various training centres to continue their job, explaining that his forum has a large number of registered vendors from the Niger Delta region.
Efforts to reach the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col Milland Dikio proved abortive as at the time of filing this report.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

News

RSG To Shut Down Unapproved Private schools, Next Week

Published

5 hours ago

June 12, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Ministry of Education has announced a statewide enforcement exercise to close all unapproved private schools operating across the state. The exercise will commence on Monday, June 15, 2026.

This was contained in public notice signed by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor. The Ministry said the action is part of efforts to strengthen quality assurance and enforce regulatory compliance in the education sector in line with the State’s Private Schools Law.

Dr. Nwagor stated that all private schools operating without registration and official approval from the Ministry, as well as those failing to meet required educational standards will be shut down.

The Commissioner explained that the exercise is intended to guarantee that children in Rivers State receive education in safe and conducive facilities that meet government standards.

He directed all approved private schools with outstanding annual renewal fees to settle their arrears immediately and warned that only schools with valid approval certificates and up-to-date payment records will be allowed to continue operations.

“School proprietors seeking further information have been advised to visit the State Quality Assurance Services, SEQAS, Office at Government Girls’ Secondary School, GGSS, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, or contact the Director of SEQAS, Dr. Chinedu Wordu.”

The Ministry assured residents that the enforcement exercise is part of the Rivers State Government’s ongoing commitment to improve education quality and uphold best practices in school administration across the state.

Akujobi Amadi

News

N210trillion NNPCL: Senate Disowns Resolution On Warrant of Arrest Against Kyari

Published

6 hours ago

June 12, 2026

The Tide

The Senate yesterday had another spectacular session as it boldly disassociated itself from Warrant of Arrest issued by its committee on Public Accounts against the former Group Chief Executive Officer ( GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company ( NNPCL) , Mele Kyari .

The upper chamber also distanced itself from the words of the Senator representing Edo North, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who at the investigative hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts with the Management of NNPCL refered to former officials of the Company as “bunch of criminals and thieves.”

The Senate in this action said the Committee failed to folllow Senate procedures as no Committee of the Senate has the mandate to proclaim or issue Warrant of Arrest on anybody under investigation without initial endorsement of the President of the Senate .

Barely 24 hours earlier, the Public Accounts Committee chaired by Senator Ibrahim Dankwabo, had in continuation of investigation on queries raised against NNPCL by the office of Auditor General of the Federation as contained in audit reports of 2017 to 2023, had session with former top management of the National oil company where Oshiomhole as member, made negative comments on it and the committee resolved to issue arrest warrant against Kyari.

The Senate Committee ‘s resolution attracted the wrath of leadership of the Senate and was nullified following a motion moved to that effect by Leader of the Senate , Senator Opeyemi Bamidele.

The Senate leader who at the plenary raised the motion through point of order on urgent national importance , noted the urgent need to preserve the institutional authority of the Senate, ensure compliance with the Legislative House’s Powers and Privileges Act, and safeguard the principles of fair hearing, due process, and parliamentary impartiality in legislative oversight proceedings.

“While the Senate possesses extensive investigative and oversight powers, such powers must be exercised in a manner that does not create the appearance of bias, prejudice, prejudgment, or predetermined conclusions regarding any person or institution under investigation”, he said .

He pointedly told the Senate that the Warrant of Arrest issued against Kyari was in contradiction with legislative procedures and cannot stand .

He condemned the labeling of the NNPCL.as bunch of criminals and thrives .

“Such procedural irregularities may expose Senate proceedings to avoidable legal challenges and diminish public confidence in the institution.

“Senate is also concerned that statements suggesting the guilt of criminal culpability of any person or institution before the condition of investigations may prejudice proceedings and create the impression that conclusions have already been reached.

“Therefore Senate must at all times, uphold the constitutional principles of due process, fair hearing, parliamentary neutrality, and the rule of law in the discharge of its oversight responsibilities”, he stressed.

Bamidele’s submissions were strongly supported by the Deputy President of the Senate , Barau Jibrin, the Whip of the Senate , Tahir Monguno , Senator Adamu Aliero who described Oshiomhole’s comments as reckless and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu who moved that Oshiomhole should be told to withdraw the comment.

However, Senator Oshiomhole in his response said the Committee resolution was not taken without recognition of the Senate Leadership’s role , which he said was to be tabled to the Senate Leadership and ratified by the Senate at plenary.

He said he made the disparaging comment on NNPC under extreme provocation triggered by equally disparaging comments made against the Senate and Senators by the former Chief Financial Officer of NNPCL , Alhaji Umar Ajiya during the investigative session .

The Senate went ahead to approve the prayers of the motion disassociating itself from Senator Adams Oshiomhole ‘s statement and cancelled the daud Warrant of Arrest on former GCEO of NNPC,.

The upper chamber urged all committees and members of the Senate to exercise restraint in public statements relating to ongoing investigations.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi

News

NDLEA Arrests Four Notorious Female Drug Dealers In Four States

Published

4 days ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested four notorious female drug dealers in Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe states.

The Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.

Giving a breakdown, Babafemi said that in Edo, an intense sweep of notorious drug hotspots within Benin City by NDLEA operatives on June 2 led to the arrest of four key traffickers, including three females.

“At Uyosa, Benin City, two female suspects were nabbed with a cocktail of illicit substances, including 176 grams of skunk, 65g of Loud, and 5 grams of Methamphetamine.

“Along Agbor road in Benin City, another female suspect, 21-year-old Anita Abraham, was apprehended with 95 grams of Scottish Loud and 329 grams of regular Loud.

“At Upper Mission, Benin City, a male suspect was arrested with a diverse cache of psychotropic substances consisting of Loud, Colorado, Swinol, and Methamphetamine.

“A swift operation by operatives in Kano State on Thursday, June 4, led to the arrest of a 19-year-old suspect, Saifullahi Lawan at the Kafi area of Madobi, with 40 blocks of skunk weighing a total of 38 kilograms,” NDLEA said.

In a related development, Babafemi said, operatives in Gombe state intercepted a 28-year-old suspect on June 1 near Dantiti Plaza in the Tumfure area of Gombe.

“The suspect was caught with 15,000 capsules of tramadol,” he said.

He said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands and formations equally continued across the country in the past week.

Reacting to the string of successful operations, the NDLEA Chairman, retired, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers, men and women of the Imo, Edo, Kano, and Gombe commands for their resilience and vigilance.

Marwa also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

He re-emphasised that the agency remains fully committed to dismantling drug supply chains and would continue to target traffickers regardless of age, gender, or concealment methods.