PAP denies ‘demobilisation exercise’ for pipeline protection

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has dissociated itself from a purported ‘demobilisation exercise’ being bandied in the Niger Delta by some elements, who are going about collecting money from unsuspecting members of the public for pipeline surveillance and other vocational trades.

A statement signed by Igoniko Oduma, the Special Assistant on Media to the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, on Tuesday, said the clarification became necessary after the Office was inundated with inquiries from concerned stakeholders over the fraudulent exercise.

It stated that the PAP Office under the leadership of Otuaro does not collect money or solicit favours from Niger Deltans for them to become beneficiaries of its educational scholarship scheme and vocational training programmes.

The Office urged the members of the public to be vigilant and report such characters to security agencies so that they are apprehended for prosecution.

The statement read: “Our findings show that these dishonest persons have deceived their targets into believing that the exercise will take place at designated centres in Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Edo and Ondo states.

“The PAP office states categorically that it is not organising or carrying out any demobilisation exercise in any part of the Niger Delta.”