PANDEF Sets up 16-member Committee to Interface with Amnesty Office

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Niger Delta umbrella body of leaders, elders and stakeholders, has set up a 16-member bipartisan regional Presidential Amnesty Committee to interface with the federal government with a view to chart a way of strengthening the amnesty programme.

The committee is headed by Air Commordore Nkanga (rtd) with Prof. Osunbor as co-chairman.

Some other members of the committee are Ambassador Godknows Igali, Prof G. G. Darah, Chief Timi Alaibe, Hon Chibudom Nwuche, Col. Tony Nyiam (rtd), Sara Igbe, Chief Don Etiebet, Mrs Nella Andem-Rabana SAN, Chief Mike Loyibo and Prince Maikpobi Okareme.

Onetime Secretary General of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), Prince Maikpobi Okareme, who is also a member of the committee, confirmed in a terse statement yesterday.

THISDAY recalled that the Amnesty Programme which was established in 2009 by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was meant to last for only three years.

The Special Adviser to the president on Niger Delta and Coordinator Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd), had few weeks ago said that the Presidential Amnesty Programme has met its mandate of providing peace and stabilising the Niger Delta security environment through its training and empowerment of ex- militants and is now due for termination.