Niger Delta Leader Petitions Tinubu Over Unresolved Amnesty Slots, Warns of Peace Risk

High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, leader of the Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF), has formally petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding the urgent integration of the Egberipapa Camp into the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP). Jackrich, also known as Egberipapa, seeks transparency in the program's management and highlighted that over 4,000 former agitators from his camp have been excluded from PAP since 2009.

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This matter has remained unresolved for many years despite repeated representations, legislative proceedings, public hearings and resolutions of the National Assembly.

This exclusion persists despite a 2021 Senate resolution that directed the integration of the Egberipapa Camp and allocated 2,000 slots. Jackrich noted in his petition, submitted to the State House, that the issue remains unresolved after repeated representations, legislative proceedings, and public hearings. He described the continued non-resolution as creating a profound sense of injustice among the affected former agitators and their families.

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The central grievance is the continued exclusion of Egberipapa Camp from the appropriate integration and allocation framework of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

Jackrich issued a security warning, stating that the prolonged delay in addressing this grievance, which involves a large number of young people in an oil-producing region, could have serious consequences for peace in the Niger Delta. He expressed concern that aggrieved individuals might resort to self-help if their legitimate grievances are not resolved through lawful institutions. He urged President Tinubu to view the petition as a chance for preventive intervention to restore confidence in the Amnesty process.

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Despite the passage of time and repeated representations, the substantive relief sought by Egberipapa Camp has not, to date, been implemented.

Beyond his camp's integration, Jackrich called for a comprehensive and independent review of the PAP. He requested clarity on the criteria for slot allocation, the number of slots approved annually since 2009, allocations to each camp, and the reasons for excluding certain groups. He also demanded an independent forensic and performance audit of the program from its inception to the present day.

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The continued non-resolution has created a profound sense of injustice among the affected former agitators and their families.