Group Sues Malami, Dikio over Amnesty Training Centre Looting

Olusegun Samuel

A peace advocacy group, the Movement for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND) has dragged the Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubarkar Malami, the Interim Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd.), the and 17 others to court over the disputed issue of payment of N1.8 billion money for the purported supply of equipment to the looted Amnesty Training Centre in Kaima, Bayelsa State.

Also included as defendants are fifteen companies involved inthe supply of the looted equipment to the Presidential Amnesty training centre revalued at over N1.8billion.

The MSDND, in the suit numbered FHC/PH/CS/177/21 filed at the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is seeking the declaration of the court that by the Amnesty office (2nd and 3rd

Defendant) are statutory required to by the provisions of the public procurement Act,2007 to make publications of any contract capable of been awarded in the presidential Amnesty programme and that the award of contract to the 5th to 19th defendants by the Amnesty office during the administration of Prof. Charles Dokubo is in breach of part 4 section 25 to 38 and part VIII section 44 to 52 of the Public Procurement Act,2007 and therefore illegal, unconstitutional, null and void abinitio.

They also sought the a declaration of the court that the 15 per cent mobilisation payment advanced to the companies under the Prof. Charles Dokubo leadership of the Amnesty office is illegal and an order that it should be refunded, seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Amnesty office from making any payment to the companies involved in the allege faulty contract.”

Commenting on the development, the National Coordinator of the

Group, Comrade James Tekena, pointed out that the decision to approach the Federal High Court was not a personal one against the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty office, Col. Dikio (rtd.) but an action meant to stand against numerous pressures on the Amnesty office to make a fraudulent payment for supplies made and looted.

According to him, the group has forwarded a petition to the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police to open a fresh investigation into the 2019 looting of the Presidential Amnesty training centre.

“We have discovered that these persons involved in the sponsorship of the disgraceful act at Boro town have resurfaced and are trying to cash on their criminal act. They are mounting pressure, with blackmail and perceived intimidation against the incumbent Interim Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“As a civil advocacy group involved in the promotion of good governance, probity and accountability, MSDND want to commend the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and called on him to remain resolute and not be intimidated into paying alleged fraudulent contracts meant to further defraud the people of the Niger Delta region”.

“Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd.) should, as a matter of honour, use his reappointment to sustain his reforms in PAP. He should not allow persons with questionable characters defraud the Presidential Amnesty office and cart away limited resources meant for the needed reforms for the people of the Niger Delta region”.

The Presidential Amnesty Training Complex located in Boro-Town, Kaiama, Bayelsa State was looted by unknown persons between February 11th – 15th, 2019 under the former Coordinator of the program, Prof. Charles Quaker Dokubo.
The looting, which lasted for five days, was done without the presence of security personnel deployed to the centre and allegations of alleged connivance between some officials of the Amnesty office and the unknown persons involved passed without documented investigations and arrest.