The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has cautioned against the collection of money from applicants in the ongoing scholarship application process for the 2025/2026 academic session, warning that the act is fraudulent and unacceptable.
This was contained in a statement signed by his media aide, Igoniko Oduma, on Sunday.
Speaking at the opening of the third batch of the Amnesty Programme’s three-day Strategic Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Training in collaboration with the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja, Otuaro expressed concern over reports that some stakeholders were allegedly collecting money from unsuspecting parents and guardians of potential beneficiaries.
“I have received reports alleging some stakeholders collect money from applicants, parents and guardians with fake promises concerning the ongoing scholarship application process for the 2025/2026 academic year,” he said.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the scholarship application process is free. No one should collect money from anybody; nobody should encourage someone to collect or give money to anybody for the scholarship exercise. It is free,” the Administrator added.
Otuaro described the alleged extortion as “regrettable and unacceptable”, warning that anyone caught would face consequences.
He assured that the application process for the PAP scholarship, covering undergraduate and postgraduate studies, would be transparent and fair, adding that the scheme was designed to improve access to higher education for Niger Delta youths, and boost human capital development in the region.
“The scholarship programme is a deliberate scheme for our people for a better tomorrow, it is not for our today. My leadership is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability even in the management of the scholarship award process.
“Those engaged in the alleged bad act should stop because I will not allow anyone to compromise the integrity of the application process. We will take drastic steps against anyone attempting to divert the opportunity of the scheme to swindle innocent people,” the statement read.
He further urged qualified candidates to submit their applications through the PAP portal and await official responses from the programme.
Addressing participants at the workshop, Otuaro described them as peace ambassadors of President Bola Tinubu, and urged them to deploy the knowledge gained to strengthen the PAP’s peacebuilding process across the Niger Delta.
He said the training was aimed at deepening their understanding of leadership, dispute resolution, and mediation to foster stability and development in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
