The Defence Headquarters Joint Monitoring Team (DHQ JMT) led by Major General Jamil Jimoh has described the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the Niger Delta region, High Chief Dr. Dennis Otuaro, as an asset "to maintaining peace and stability" owing to his vast knowledge of the region.

Maj. Gen. Jimoh made the remark when he led the DHQ JMT on a courtesy visit to the PAP Office in Abuja, on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

According to the Major General, the visit, which is part of the team's tour of the Niger Delta to interface with stakeholders, is to solicit the support of the PAP to enable the security agency do their job of securing oil assets very well, while noting that the JMT deserves support towards reducing the menaces of illegal oil bunkering, and attacks on critical oil assets.

Jamil said, "We have been in the Niger Delta, and we have met with some stakeholders. But we felt that it is very important that we also visit the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme that was established by Federal Government and had brought peace to the Niger Delta.

"The Administrator knows a lot about that general area. He knows the people, and what is happening there and he will guide us on some of the things we want to do.

“We know that he has been doing a lot to make sure things are happening underground in the Niger Delta to maintain peace and stability. So we decided to meet him and his team today," the tram lead stated.

He further applauded the PAP Administrator for working hard to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the Niger Delta, stressing that Otuaro's knowledge of the region was an asset to maintaining peace and stability in the area.

In his response, Otuaro assured the DHQ JMT that the PAP will support their mandate to curb crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta, adding that it was part of the mandate assigned to him by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the government's determination to address the challenges in the region.

He expressed delight that the country's oil production output had reached 1.8 million barrels per day due to the intensified fight against crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals, and added that he was confident the increase in production would be sustained.

"I know that the essence of the PAP is for national and human security in the country and the region," said Otuaro. "We are going to work with you at any time. It's part of the things we can do within the mandate given to me by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

"Based on that, we will collaborate with you to ensure the eradication of oil bunkering and other related activities in the Niger Delta. The country's oil production output is on the rise and has reached 1.8 million barrels per day as announced sometime last week by the NNPCL. We are confident that it will increase more than that."

He said the PAP was vigorously implementing the reintegration phase of the programme through initiatives in formal education, vocational training, and post-training empowerment of delegates, beneficiaries and women while also deepening stakeholders' engagement for sustainable peace and stability in the region.

Otuaro further told the JMT that with more funding, the programme's expanding scope would be better managed and administered in the strategic interest of national security and stability.

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