Francis Tayor
In what they described as a deliberate attempt to undermine ljaw illustrious sons holding strategic political office in the country, the apex ljaw media body under the aegis of ljaw Publishers Forum, IPF, has expressed dismay over the recent House of Representative move to malign the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, High Chief Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro to appear before the house in order to give account of how N26billion was spent, stressing that Otuaro was not in office when such money where mismanaged.
The media executives said Dr. Otuaro is not answerable to the House of Representative, rather it is the duty of the EFCC to go after anyone with record of financial embezzlement case.
The body made the declaration on Monday at Warri, during a Press briefing stated that the House of Representative should thread with caution, adding that any attempt to undermine the personality of Dennis Otuaro would lead to catastrophic in the Niger Delta region.
According to the statement signed by Comrade Austin Ozobo, President and Comrade Tare Magbei, Secretary stated as follows:
The Ijaw Publishers' Forum (IPF) expresses deep concern over the 72-hour ultimatum issued by the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, alongside threats of issuing a warrant for his arrest. While Sections 88, 89, and 128 of the 1999 Constitution empower the National Assembly to conduct oversight functions, we strongly appeal for caution in applying these powers to a programme as delicate as the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
It is necessary to state clearly that the news and allegations being referenced by the Committee relate to an Amnesty Audit Report of 2021, a period long before Chief Dr. Otuaro assumed office. Chief Otuaro was appointed in 2024, and therefore should not be associated with issues arising from an audit that predates his tenure by several years. Any attempt to use a 2021 report to malign a 2024 appointee is misleading and raises concerns about the true intent behind the current aggression.
This action, coming after claims of six invitations, carries the markings of yet another sponsored political attack targeted at an Ijaw son who has distinguished himself in national service.
The Presidential Amnesty Programme remains a special security initiative established under the exclusive constitutional authority of the President. It was not created through legislative consultation but through direct presidential action because of its sensitive nature.
Otuaro Has Stabilised the Niger Delta
Since assuming office in 2024, Dr. Otuaro has restored confidence in the PAP by strengthening peace in the Niger Delta, revitalising dialogue mechanisms, and enhancing cooperation among stakeholders. His leadership has contributed to improved national oil output through sustained calm in host communities. These gains deserve recognition, not persecution.
The attempt to isolate and harass an individual who has contributed so meaningfully to national stability raises serious questions about the motives behind the current probe.
Selective Oversight: Why Only the Ijaw?
The IPF finds it troubling that the same House that now shows unusual urgency in threatening arrest has shown little interest in questioning top officials who publicly sympathise with terrorists and bandits who have caused bloodshed across Nigeria, yet in the case of Dr. Otuaro, a performing Administrator who has sent thousands of PAP delegates to school and consistently engaged critical stakeholders, the House has drawn its sword swiftly. This cannot be dismissed as coincidence. It reflects a troubling pattern of selective aggression against the Ijaw nation and the wider Niger Delta.
We emphasize that threatening to arrest Dr. Dennis Otuaro, a respected figure among ex-agitators, risks provoking anger and destabilising the fragile peace currently enjoyed in the Niger Delta. Such actions pose a direct threat to national security and must be avoided.
It must also be noted that Otuaro’s only so-called offence is that he sanitised the PAP payroll. Those who exploited the system and lost illegitimate benefits are the same people sponsoring protests and petitions locally and internationally. Certain ethnic groups that publicly disowned any link to militancy during the armed agitation in the Niger Delta have suddenly reinvented themselves as ex-agitators because of the benefits that PAP provides.
This same group has never supported any progressive effort in the Niger Delta. They opposed the creation of Delta State; Warri South-West LGA; Ogbe-Ijoh as headquarters; the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko; and even the Tantita surveillance contract that has helped reduce oil theft. Their pattern is consistent: oppose anything that uplifts the Ijaw people.
A Deliberate Attempt to Undermine the Niger Delta and Ijaw Nation
The current development fits into a broader pattern of attempts to undermine the Niger Delta. Whenever peace begins to take root and oil production stabilizes, certain national and sectional interests attempt to destabilize progress and discredit those delivering results.
The IPF will not remain silent while the image of the Ijaw nation is attacked under the pretext of oversight.
Nigeria Faces Larger Crises
Nigeria is battling insecurity, hunger, unemployment, inflation, and collapsing public systems. The House should focus on national emergencies rather than chasing a sensationalised agenda against a man whose work has positively impacted thousands of youths and contributed to national peace and revenue stability.
The nation is burning; the legislature must not become a tool for elements who do not seek the country's good.
Our Demands
The Ijaw Publishers' Forum (IPF) calls on the House of Representatives to:
1. Step down its current aggressive posture and conduct oversight with fairness and without bias.
2. Avoid actions that could destabilise the fragile peace in the Niger Delta, particularly when the PAP is recording success under Otuaro’s leadership.
3. Prioritise urgent national issues such as insecurity, the soaring cost of living, and failing institutions.
4. End the pattern of selective harassment targeted at Ijaw leaders and Niger Delta institutions.
Conclusion
The IPF stands firmly with Chief Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro. We reject intimidation, selective justice, and politically motivated persecution of Ijaw people.
Peace in the Niger Delta is a national asset, and it is flourishing under Otuaro’s stewardship. We therefore urge all actors to refrain from dragging hardworking leaders into manufactured controversies. The House of Representatives must act with restraint, fairness, and a genuine sense of national duty.
Signed:
For Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF)
Comrade Austin Ozobo, National President
Comrade Tare Magbei, General Secretary.
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