Retired Maj.-Gen. Barry Ndiomu, the interim Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), says the programme has nothing to hide, faulting calls for a probe by anti-graft agencies.
Ndiomu said this in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Mr Freston Akpor and made available to News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 in Abuja.
“The PAP heard of one Friday Iko urging anti-graft and related agencies to investigate the PAP over alleged corruption and imputing fraud in the disbursement of funds to the PAP cooperative.
“He had among other issues alleged that `some members of staff in the office are receiving huge amounts for welfare ranging between 15 to 10 million Naira’ for monthly running cost.
“The monies mentioned are clearly a figment of the imagination of the newsmaker who intends to use the media to achieve malicious ends only known to him.
“The allegations are not only false but also baseless and a calculated attempt to commence another round of a smear campaign against the Interim Administrator and his dedicated management team,’’ Akpor said.
He said that the PAP conducted a background check on the purported newsmaker and found out that there was no person of note with that name or identity.
Akpor advised the media to be circumspect of personalities bearing pseudonyms to use their platforms to broadcast or publish such mischief as such media houses could be in the cross hair of possible litigations.
“As a national security programme, the PAP under Ndiomu has been ethical and above board in discharging its mandate of ensuring peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.
“The PAP therefore wishes to call on the security agencies to arrest those spreading falsehood to undermine the peace in the region.
“The PAP will also not hesitate to bring charges against those who employ such falsehood in order to defame the chief executive and hardworking staff of the Programme,’’ Akpor said.