The Forum of Progressive Niger Delta Leaders has warned against a plot to blackmail the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and the caretaker committee for the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
The forum, in a statement weekend by its president and secretary, Chiefs Amakamu and Kpokoye Morris respectively, said it was dismayed at a recent report alleging that the former coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, Charles Dokubo, awarded contracts and paid N1.8bn to Monguno’s cronies for unexecuted contracts.
It urged “progressive-minded” persons and groups in the region to condemn those working against the common interest of Niger Delta for selfish reasons.
The statement read in part: “Unfortunately, our findings indicated that the allegation is barefaced falsehood maliciously concocted and sponsored by ambitious and unpatriotic individuals with an eye on the office of coordinator, Amnesty Programme, and their collaborators.
“Obviously, the objective for this dangerous effort is to malign the NSA and discredit the caretaker committee with the hope that it would be disbanded by the presidency and a new coordinator appointed for the Amnesty Programme. This is not minding the fact that the committee is doing a good job, scrutinizing the books and processes with a view to setting the Programme on a solid foundation.
“The recent allegation is a dangerous and wicked lie calculated at splashing mud on the NSA. General Monguno is a highly respected, disciplined and incorruptible military officer with impeccable and enviable records as the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Commander, Brigade of Guards and Defence Attache, among other top flight positions he held in a career that spanned over three decades. He’s reputed to abhor corruption and cannot encourage fraudulent practices”.
