Ijaw Youths, under the aegis of Ijaw Youths Network, IYN, has warned detractors who are threatened by the rising profile of the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Otuaro, to stop the renewed mudslinging in the media space.
The youths urged Otuaro to ignore paid agents who are out to sabotage his efforts to return the PAP to the Niger Delta.
The IYN, in a statement by its President, Frank Ebikabo, and the Secretary, Federal Ebiaridor, on Wednesday, said the organization is concerned about repeated attacks on Otuaro by unscrupulous elements who do not mean well for the region.
According to the IYN, the insinuations and ill-fated attempts to link a purportedly leaked document in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, to the administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Office is a farce not worthy of attention from serious minds.
The group noted that the PAP office is neither an annex nor an extension of the DSS, adding that the security agency is one of the most effective and thorough in the country which can uncover any such infarction involving the office.
The IYN called on Niger Deltans to condemn what it described as a conspiracy and plot against Otuaro by a faceless group of greedy persons hiding under the hypocrisy of public concern to commit evil acts.
The Ijaw youths said that Otuaro’s programmes since his appointment in March 2024 had shown that President Bola Tinubu made the right choice by putting a grassroots stakeholder in charge of the PAP.
The group said, “We urge those who are used to getting free monies from the Presidential Amnesty Programme through blackmail of leaders to desist.
“We commend Dr Dennis Otuaro for the productive interactions he has had with various segments of Niger Delta stakeholders such as traditional rulers, women and youth groups and ex-agitators.
“The people of the Niger Delta are waiting for the administrator to effectively utilize available resources, to make the PAP scholarship scheme more useful to the region.”
The IYN further advised Otuaro to keep his focus on the goal to make a real impact in the Niger Delta region, saying failure cannot be an option.
The group pointed out that a recent report in which 21 prominent groups in the region declared support for Otuaro showed clearly that he is doing the right thing and should sustain his legacy of success.
The IYN called on all Ijaw youths to condemn the wild antics of some individuals who have attempted without success to drag the name of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, into a non-existent fray.