Kamsiyochukwu Mbamalu
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has been petitioned to investigate alleged corruption, procurement irregularities and mismanagement of public funds at the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
The petition, dated September 15, 2026 and addressed to the Chairman of the ICPC in Abuja, was filed by a group identifying itself as the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) and signed by its Secretary, Comrade Akpos Owei-Keme.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelTitled “Petition for Investigation into Alleged Corrupt Practices, Procurement Irregularities, Abuse of Office, Conflicts of Interest and Mismanagement of Public Resources Within the Presidential Amnesty Programme,” the document names the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Burutu Otuaro, as the subject of complaint.
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The petitioners, however, state that they are not asking the Commission to presume guilt.
N50bn Contract Under Question
At the centre of the petition is an alleged N50 billion contract whose origin, approval process and beneficiaries the group says remain unclear.
The NDLF is asking the ICPC to establish who initiated and approved the contract, who participated in the procurement process, the identity of the contractor, and who ultimately owns and controls the company.
It also wants the Commission to determine whether any PAP official or associate held an undisclosed interest in the contractor, whether any conflict of interest was declared, whether payments have been made, and whether any work purportedly covered by the contract was actually executed.
The group is further calling for a wider review of PAP’s procurement practices, including tendering, bid evaluation, single-source and emergency procurement, contract variations and the appointment of consultants.
In particular, it urged investigators to examine dealings involving related companies, shared directors, common business addresses and recently incorporated firms allegedly linked to officials or persons with influence over procurement decisions.
Alleged N1.9bn Shortfall in Empowerment Scheme
The petition also flags an alleged shortfall of about N1.9 billion linked to the ‘Train, Employ and Mentor’ scheme, one of PAP’s empowerment initiatives.
The NDLF asked the ICPC to trace funds from appropriation to disbursement – how much was released, how much was earmarked for beneficiaries, how much was actually received by them, and under what authority any deductions were made.
Other concerns raised include payroll and beneficiary databases, and the scholarship component of the programme.
The petitioners asked investigators to cross-reference Corporate Affairs Commission records, procurement files, declarations of interest, payment records and shareholding information to determine whether any PAP officer, politically exposed person or associate had an undisclosed stake in companies receiving PAP funds.
Call for Systemic Review
Beyond specific transactions, the NDLF called for a systemic corruption-risk assessment of the programme to test whether existing controls are adequate to prevent ghost or duplicate beneficiaries, fictitious contractors, inflated contracts, payroll and scholarship fraud, and diversion of resources.
Where weaknesses are found, the group wants the ICPC to issue preventive recommendations to PAP and its supervisory authorities.
It also requested that the Commission register and acknowledge the petition, open a preliminary and where warranted a full investigation, and preserve all relevant documentary and electronic evidence, including procurement files, financial records, contracts, emails and beneficiary databases.
The group said it is willing to cooperate with investigators and to make available documents in its possession.
The petition states that it was made in good faith and in the public interest.
“Where allegations are found to be unsubstantiated, that conclusion should be recorded,” it states. “Where evidence of corruption is established, the law should take its course without regard to status, office, political affiliation or influence.”
The petition is said to be accompanied by six annexures containing a schedule of allegations, published reports, documentary evidence, a list of persons and companies, a chronology of events, and a schedule of contracts and payments. Those annexures were not included in the material available to Prime Business Africa as of press time.
As of the date of the petition, there had been no public response from the ICPC or the Presidential Amnesty Programme on the allegations.
Prime Business Africa has not independently verified the allegations contained in the petition and efforts to obtain reactions are ongoing.
