Ndiomu moves against Niger Delta indigenes as Amnesty Office employs over 80 persons from outside the region

• PAP signs contract to pay HMO N250,000 per staff member

Employees of the Presidential Amnesty Office have expressed concerns regarding the reassignment of individuals from the Niger Delta region by the Interim Administrator, Maj Gen Barry Ndiomu (Retd).

Some staff members suspect that this move is connected to alleged leaks of confidential information about the office’s operations.

An investigation has uncovered that residents of the Niger Delta holding crucial positions were relocated from the Presidential Amnesty Office and replaced with new individuals.

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Among those reassigned were Oloye Kebbi (Peace Building Department), Mr. Okhuba (Peace Building), Kennedy Febau (Peace Building Unit), Ebiere Ayamah (Vocational Training Unit), and Jude Gbaboyor (Data/ICT), who was transferred to Warri, Delta State. Additionally, Highcoast Ombe (Post Training Unit), Samuel Sunday (Post Training Unit), Pere Ikuetemi (Legal Department), Gabriel Ajama (Data Unit), and Agiri Emmanuel, Head of Data, were moved to Agabagba in Ondo State.

Reportedly, Maj Gen Barry Ndiomu attributed the information leaks to the Niger Delta natives working within the office.

Speaking anonymously due to a lack of authorization, staff members disclosed that Ndiomu had sanctioned regular seizure and inspection of staff members’ phones, creating concerns that their phones might be under surveillance.

During this restructuring, Niger Delta residents were transferred out of the office, while more than 80 individuals, primarily from Kogi, were newly employed in the Amnesty Office.

The Head of Administration, Mrs. Khairat Balogun, who hails from Kogi State, was replaced by a new appointee, although she has not vacated the position.

This new appointee, from the Head of Service’s office, has yet to be provided with an office space, and the Human Resources division has been placed under Mrs. Balogun’s oversight.

The removal of the affected Amnesty staff member was rationalized by Ndiomu as part of his mission to phase out the programme.

Notably, prior to the end of the Buhari administration, there were attempts to terminate the programme by the then National Security Adviser, Gen. Babagans Monguno (Retd.), which faced opposition from Niger Delta leaders and residents.

While Ndiomu was appointed with a mandate to wind down the programme, regional circumstances and tensions prevented an abrupt conclusion.

Concerns have arisen over Ndiomu’s leadership style, which has had detrimental effects on the Amnesty Office’s operations in the region.

Ndiomu ceased the recruitment of students for the scholarship programme that had garnered favour among many in the region.

He also terminated training and empowerment programs for delegates, opting instead for selective payments for ongoing contracts.

Investigations further uncovered a contract between PAP and a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), NOVO Health Africa Limited, involving monthly fees exceeding the wages of affected employees.

Allegedly, the PAP is obligated to pay N250,000 per month for each employee, even when most staff members do not earn up to that amount.

There are suspicions that this arrangement may have been inflated to facilitate fund diversion.