Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris on Wednesday said that the Federal Government is supporting more than 8,000 students studying in Nigeria and 220 others pursuing degrees in Britain, under Presidential Amnesty Programme.
The programme was created to quell militancy in the oil-rich Niger Delta.
Minister Idris, shared the details in a post on X on Wednesday after meeting beneficiaries of the programme during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Britain at the invitation of King Charles III.
The meeting with the beneficiaries was also attended by Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Peteoleum Resources.
Launched in 2009 by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, the programme initially focused on disarming and rehabilitating former militants. It has since expanded to emphasize skills training, education and empowerment initiatives to promote peace and development in the restive region.
“It is very heartwarming to witness the impact of the program first-hand and interact with beneficiaries,” Minister Idris said, describing the Niger Delta’s transformation from a place once marked by “deprivation, degradation and disorder.”
Dennis Otuaro, the programme’s administrator, provided the enrollment figures during the meeting, Mr. Idris noted.
He called the initiative “one of the best programs” in Nigeria and pledged that President Tinubu’s administration would strengthen it further, with a focus on youth opportunities.
“The President’s desire is to ensure that all Nigerians, including and especially the youth, are given the right opportunity to thrive and to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country,” the Minister added.
