A coalition of Niger Delta agitators is demanding an immediate investigation into the alleged diversion of N257 billion [1] from the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
The demand follows allegations that funds intended for members of the Ukanafun Freedom Fighters were misappropriated. This dispute threatens the stability of the amnesty agreement, which was designed to maintain peace in Nigeria's oil-rich region by providing financial and educational support to former militants.
In August 2025, the group petitioned the National Security Adviser and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the missing funds [2]. The agitators said the lack of transparency regarding these payments constitutes a breach of trust between the government and the beneficiaries of the program.
Legal representatives for the ex-agitators said there is an “urgent and overriding need” for a thorough examination of the program's books, assets, and properties [2]. They said the scale of the alleged diversion suggests systemic financial mismanagement within the agency.
Beyond the missing funds, the leaders have called on President Bola Tinubu to decentralize the pipeline protection contracts [3]. They said that shifting the control of these contracts would prevent the concentration of power and funds among a small group of individuals, a move they believe would reduce the likelihood of future misappropriation.
The Presidential Amnesty Programme was established to reintegrate former combatants into society and protect critical oil infrastructure. However, the coalition said that the current management of the funds has failed to meet these objectives [1].
The group maintains that accountability is the only way to prevent a return to unrest in the region [2]. They said that a full audit of the N257 billion [1] is necessary to ensure that the rightful beneficiaries receive their payments.
“There is an “urgent and overriding need” for a thorough examination of PAP’s books, assets, and properties.”
The demand for a probe into the Presidential Amnesty Programme highlights the fragile nature of peace in the Niger Delta. Because the region's stability is tied to the perceived fairness of government payouts and contracts, allegations of high-level corruption can quickly translate into renewed security threats for Nigeria's oil infrastructure.
