IPF Faults House’s Ultimatum, Says Pressure on Otuaro Could Destabilise Niger Delta
By Ezekiel Kagbala
The Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) has raised strong objections to the 72-hour ultimatum issued by the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, describing the threat of a possible arrest warrant as unfair, provocative, and potentially destabilising.
Speaking at a world press conference on Monday, in a statement signed by Comrade Austin Ozobo, National President of IPF, and Comrade Tare Magbei, General Secretary, urged the House to exercise caution in its oversight activities, warning that the sensitivity of the PAP and the fragile peace in the Niger Delta should not be undermined by actions capable of inflaming tension.
According to the Forum, the issues referenced in the ongoing probe stem from an Amnesty Programme audit report conducted in 2021—three years before Otuaro’s appointment in 2024.
“It is misleading to associate a 2021 audit with a man appointed in 2024,” the statement read. “Any attempt to do so raises questions about the true intent behind this aggression.”
The Forum expressed concern that the House’s insistence on summoning Otuaro reportedly after six previous invitations—appears to be part of a “sponsored political attack targeted at an Ijaw son who has distinguished himself in national service.”
The group stressed that the Presidential Amnesty Programme was established solely by presidential directive due to its special security nature, and was not a product of legislative input. It therefore urged the National Assembly to handle issues concerning the PAP with sensitivity and national interest.
The IPF commended Otuaro’s leadership since assuming office in 2024, stating that he has strengthened peacebuilding structures, enhanced stakeholder dialogue, and contributed to improved stability in oil-producing communities.
“His efforts have boosted national oil output and restored confidence in the PAP,” the Forum said. “Rather than persecution, these gains deserve commendation.”
The group alleged selective enforcement of oversight powers by the House, arguing that the speed and intensity of the action against Otuaro contrasts sharply with the legislature’s muted response to more serious national security concerns.
“It is troubling that officials who openly sympathise with violent groups face no scrutiny, while a performing administrator from the Niger Delta is threatened with arrest,” the statement alleged, describing the trend as “a pattern of selective aggression targeted at the Ijaw nation.”
The Forum cautioned that the treatment of Otuaro widely respected among ex-agitators—could provoke widespread anger and disrupt the fragile peace in the region.
It insisted that Otuaro’s only offence was sanitising the PAP payroll, arguing that individuals who previously benefited from loopholes are now sponsoring protests and petitions against him.
The IPF also accused certain groups of persistently opposing developmental efforts linked to Ijaw communities, citing past resistance to Delta State creation, Warri South-West LGA, the Nigerian Maritime University, and security surveillance initiatives.
The Forum urged lawmakers to prioritise pressing national challenges worsening insecurity, inflation, unemployment, and failing public systems rather than what it called a “sensationalised agenda” against the PAP administrator.
The group outlined four key demands to the House of Representatives:
1. Withdraw its aggressive posture and ensure fairness in oversight.
2. Avoid actions that could destabilise peace in the Niger Delta.
3. Shift attention to urgent national crises affecting millions of Nigerians.
4. End perceived selective harassment of Ijaw leaders and regional institutions.
The Ijaw Publishers’ Forum reaffirmed its support for Dr. Otuaro and condemned what it described as intimidation and politically motivated actions targeting the Ijaw nation.
“Peace in the Niger Delta is a national asset, and it is flourishing under Otuaro’s stewardship,” the statement concluded. “We urge restraint, fairness, and
genuine commitment to national stability.”
