Niger Delta Now Most Peaceful Under Tinubu, Says Otuaro
The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, on Monday said the Niger Delta has become the most peaceful region in the country, attributing the development to the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the support of the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Otuaro made the remarks while declaring open the sixth batch of the two-day Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Training for PAP stakeholders at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja.
The training, attended by 120 participants, is part of the programme’s efforts to strengthen conflict resolution mechanisms and sustain peace across the oil-rich region.
According to Otuaro, the Presidential Amnesty Programme’s peacebuilding initiatives have continued to yield positive outcomes under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We want to say it unapologetically that the Niger Delta is the most peaceful region in Nigeria. There is no apology for this fact.
“Our peacebuilding process in the region is working under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and with the support of the Office of the National Security Adviser,” he said.
He thanked Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, for what he described as unwavering support for the programme, saying the backing had strengthened efforts to consolidate peace and stability in the region.
“We are eternally grateful to President Tinubu and the Office of the National Security Adviser for their strong backing for the Presidential Amnesty Programme. We know that President Tinubu believes in us, and there is no request we will make for our region that he will not grant,” Otuaro said.
The PAP administrator said the Federal Government had continued to invest in education and human capital development as part of efforts to prevent a relapse into conflict.
He disclosed that about 8,500 scholarship beneficiaries are currently studying in universities across Nigeria, while another 247 beneficiaries are pursuing postgraduate studies abroad under the programme.
Otuaro argued that the investments reflected the government’s commitment to ensuring lasting peace and development in the Niger Delta.
He also expressed confidence that the region would support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
“And come 2027, we will not be swayed by the rhetoric of ‘political businessmen’. We will give 100 per cent support to President Tinubu because we believe that he will do more for the region in his second term,” he added.
Speaking on the objective of the workshop, Otuaro said the training forms part of his inclusive approach to engaging critical stakeholders in promoting dialogue, mediation and peaceful conflict resolution across the region.
He urged participants to maximise the opportunity provided by the training to deepen their knowledge of alternative dispute resolution and contribute to sustaining peace in their communities.
Otuaro also thanked the management of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre and the workshop facilitator, Commodore Amatare Kpou (retd.), for supporting the initiative.
The current batch has 120 participants. According to the programme, more than 240 stakeholders participated in the first five batches of the leadership and mediation training conducted between July and December 2025.
The Presidential Amnesty Programme was established in 2009 following the Federal Government’s amnesty initiative aimed at ending armed militancy in the Niger Delta.
The programme provides rehabilitation, education, vocational training and empowerment opportunities for former agitators, with the broader objective of promoting peace, protecting oil infrastructure and fostering sustainable development in the region.
Since assuming office, Otuaro has repeatedly emphasised dialogue, stakeholder engagement and human capital development as key strategies for sustaining the gains of the amnesty programme and preventing renewed unrest in the Niger Delta.
